The present invention relates to relates to a method of producing an improved asphalt. This method includes providing an asphalt binder and providing a compound of formula (I): ##STR00001##
as described herein. The asphalt binder is mixed with the compound of formula (I) under conditions effective to produce an improved asphalt. Also disclosed are an asphalt product and a method of making asphalt material.

Reinforcing filaments or fibers, such as aromatic polyamide (aramid) fibers, can be reliably measured and consistently mixed into asphalt cement concrete by soaking the fibers in a wetting agent, then severing them to a desired length, and mixing the segments with other ACC ingredients. The wetting agent holds the fibers together loosely, so they can be distributed more uniformly throughout the ACC without clumping. The wetting agent soaks into the ACC mixture and/or evaporates, leaving the reinforcing fibers behind.

Aspects of the present invention provide methods of drying lecithin in a batch reaction, comprising the steps of obtaining lecithin-containing material (derived from a crude refining stream) comprising 15-50% water, 10-30% acetone insoluble matter, and 10-20% free fatty acid; adding a fatty acid source (also derived from a crude refining stream) to the lecithin-containing material composition to obtain a lecithin/fatty acid reaction mixture; and blowing dry gas through the gum/fatty acid reaction mixture to obtain a resultant dried lecithin fatty acid blend having a water content of less than 2%. The resultant dried lecithin fatty acid blend may be used in asphalt or oil field applications.

Provided herein is an asphalt binder composition, and more particularly, an amine-containing asphalt binder composition capable of improving mixability between an asphalt binder and an aggregate, and compactibility and water resistance of an asphalt paving mixture. More particularly, the present invention relates to an asphalt binder composition capable of being used in hot mix asphalt for improving workability and/or stripping-resistance, warm-mix asphalt, recycling of reclaimed asphalt pavement, or the like.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, comprising obtaining a lecithin-containing material, in some aspects derived from a crude refining stream, comprising 20-80 wt % acetone insoluble matter, 1-30 wt % free fatty acid, and less than 10 wt % water, adding a fatty acid or carboxylic source to the lecithin-containing material to obtain a lecithin fatty acid blend or lecithin carboxylic acid blend and incorporating the blend into asphalt or oil field applications.

Asphalt binders are modified using fractional products from waste tire pyrolysis, using an initial step of i) at least partially pyrolyzing, separately from such asphaltic binder, whole rubber articles or size-reduced rubber particles to provide one or more pyrolyzed rubber fractions including a pyrolyzed oil fraction having a selected minimum initial boiling point or flash point, and ii) removing some or all polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds from such pyrolyzed oil fraction to provide a reduced-PAH and preferably translucent pyrolyzed oil fraction that may be combined with an asphaltic binder to provide a modified asphalt composition.

Hot-applied asphaltic and non-asphaltic sealant compositions and methods having or using defined effective polymer concentration (EPC) values of at least 7.0 are provided which (a) provide improved softening points and improved resilience without the use of any inorganic filler materials, while at the same time maintaining or increasing the ductilities of the compositions, or (b) enable the use of one or more inorganic filler materials to provide improved softening points and improved resilience while maintaining desirable viscosity levels and at least significantly limiting any losses in ductility or increasing the ductilities of the compositions.

A device for holding a boat fender in place at an installation site, such as a dock. The device including a main fabric body that is foldable and has a first end, an opposing second end, a first side, and an opposing second side. The device further includes first and second adjustable fasteners configured to attach the second end to the first end for allowing the main fabric body to cradle and hold the boat fender. A boat fender strap has a first end that is attached to the main fabric body and an opposing second end that is detachably attached to the main fabric body. The boat fender strap is configured to pass through a center hole of the boat fender for securely attaching the boat fender to the main fabric body.

The present invention provides a functionally dry warm mix asphalt binder composition modified with lubricating agents or additives that can be mixed with aggregate and compacted at temperatures substantially below asphalt binder compositions that do not contain the disclosed lubricating additives.

An automated robotic printing device for additive manufacturing or three-dimensional printing of an engineered cementitious composite (ECC) structure is provided. The device has a feeding system and an automated extrusion system configured to receive the ECC composition from the feeding system and deposit the ECC composition onto a target. The automated extrusion system comprising at least one robotic device comprising a tiltable and steerable deposition head that comprises an extrusion nozzle having a substantially rectangular opening and at least one shaping blade at a terminal end to shape and deposit the cementitious composition onto a target. Methods of additive manufacturing of a structure from the ECC compositions are also provided.