A hybrid crude oil and methods of making the same using man-made or natural petroleum-based waste stream products. The hybrid crude oil is composed of an oil-based solution and petroleum-based coatings that were extracted from a petroleum-containing material. This hybrid crude oil is created by elevating the temperature of the oil-based solution to or above an elevated temperature, i.e., the melting or phase-change temperature of the petroleum-based coating so that it can become liquified and dissolve into the oil-based solution and create the hybrid crude oil. The petroleum-containing material is submerged into the heated oil-based solution to cause the petroleum-based coatings to dissolve into the heated oil-based solution at the elevated temperature. The liquid oil-based solution at the elevated temperature creates an environmental seal to the petroleum-based coatings to protect them from burning, carburizing, or degrading, until the liquid oil-based solution is capable of providing the necessary thermal energy for the phase change of the petroleum-based coating from a solid state to a liquid state. At which time, the petroleum-based coatings safely phase-changes into a liquid and dissolves into the oil-based solution, creating the hybrid crude oil.

Pavement aging can be reduced by applying to an asphalt-containing pavement a topcoat layer or a surface treatment containing asphalt binder with sterols.

Pavement aging can be reduced by applying to an asphalt-containing pavement a topcoat layer or a surface treatment containing asphalt binder with sterols.

The invention concerns a method for the preparation of a bituminous composition BC comprising the following steps: a) having an intermediary hydrocarbonated composition IC comprising: a hydrocarbonated component selected among bitumen and oils, and a hydroxide XOH with X=Na or K, which represents from 15 to 50% by weight of the total weight of the intermediary hydrocarbonated composition IC, b) introducing the intermediary hydrocarbonated composition IC, into a composition HC of a bitumen, in particular chosen among paving grade bitumen as defined by EN 12591 and polymer modified bitumen as defined by EN 14023.

The intermediary hydrocarbonated composition IC as defined in the invention and its uses are other aspects of the invention.

The invention concerns a method for the preparation of a bituminous composition BC comprising the following steps: a) having an intermediary hydrocarbonated composition IC comprising: a hydrocarbonated component selected among bitumen and oils, and a hydroxide XOH with X=Na or K, which represents from 15 to 50% by weight of the total weight of the intermediary hydrocarbonated composition IC, b) introducing the intermediary hydrocarbonated composition IC, into a composition HC of a bitumen, in particular chosen among paving grade bitumen as defined by EN 12591 and polymer modified bitumen as defined by EN 14023.

The intermediary hydrocarbonated composition IC as defined in the invention and its uses are other aspects of the invention.

The invention concerns a method for the preparation of a bituminous composition BC comprising the following steps: a) having an intermediary hydrocarbonated composition IC comprising: a hydrocarbonated component selected among bitumen and oils, and a hydroxide XOH with X=Na or K, which represents from 15 to 50% by weight of the total weight of the intermediary hydrocarbonated composition IC, b) introducing the intermediary hydrocarbonated composition IC, into a composition HC of a bitumen, in particular chosen among paving grade bitumen as defined by EN 12591 and polymer modified bitumen as defined by EN 14023.

The intermediary hydrocarbonated composition IC as defined in the invention and its uses are other aspects of the invention.

A counter tapered diblock copolymer composition comprises a monovinyl aromatic monomer A polymerized with a conjugated diene monomer B to form the structure A-[A/B], where the [A/B] block is a copolymer of the A and B monomers that is counter tapered, which means the ratio of B to A is lower proximal to the A block relative to the ratio of B to A distal to the A block. The [A/B] block preferably has a vinyl content that is higher proximal to the A block relative to the vinyl content distal to the A block. The diblock copolymer is preferably partially coupled or formed with a multifunctional initiator to provide a mixture of the diblock copolymer composition and a linear (A-[A/B])-X-([B/A]-A) structure and/or a coupled radial and/or multiarm structure (A-[A/B])n-X, where X is the residue of a coupling agent or an initiator. Asphalt and adhesive compositions are made with the diblock copolymer composition and with the mixture.

Asphalt packets and methods of making and using asphalt packets are provided. For example, an asphalt packet can be provided that include asphalt that comprises an inner volume and a polymer film outer coating that encapsulates the inner volume of the asphalt. The polymer film outer coating can be non-tacky at ambient temperatures to permit stacking of a plurality of asphalt packets under weight without causing the packets to agglomerate.

The invention relates to a process for preparing foamed polymer-modified bitumen compositions and to the use thereof for the production of asphalt. The invention also relates to foamed polymer-modified bitumen compositions obtainable by this process. Furthermore, the invention relates to a process for producing an asphalt composition and to the use thereof in road applications. The process for the preparation of the foamed polymer-modified bitumen composition comprises the following steps: i) Heating and pressurizing a bitumen to obtain a hot flowing bitumen stream, ii) Injecting under pressure an aqueous polymer dispersion into the hot flowing bitumen stream obtained in step i), to obtain a pressurized flowing mixed stream of the bitumen and the aqueous polymer dispersion; iii) Expanding the flowing mixed stream, in particular to atmospheric pressure, such that the water contained in the aqueous polymer dispersion vaporizes and foams the mixed stream to obtain a foamed polymer-modified bitumen.

The present invention provides a modified diene copolymer composition having a modified A-B-C or C-B-A copolymer comprising at least one conjugated diene monomer and at least one unsubstituted vinyl aromatic monomer and at least one substituted vinyl aromatic monomer, wherein each block or segment in the modified A-B-C or C-B-A copolymer is either a homopolymer or a copolymer comprising at least one conjugated diene monomer and/or at least one unsubstituted vinyl aromatic monomer and/or at least one substituted vinyl aromatic monomer, wherein any of the copolymers have a distribution configuration that is tapered, counter tapered, random or controlled, and wherein any of the homopolymers or the copolymers comprising at least one conjugated diene monomer and/or at least one unsubstituted vinyl aromatic monomer may be in-chain and/or chain-end modified with at least one unit of at least one substituted vinyl aromatic monomer; optionally having a block copolymer made from the modified A-B-C or C-B-A copolymer, wherein the block copolymer comprises at least two of the modified A-B-C or C-B-A copolymers. The invention also provides a process for making the modified diene copolymer composition.