Described herein is a polymerized biorenewable, previously modified, or functionalized oil, comprising a polymeric distribution having about 2 to about 80 wt % oligomer content, a polydispersity index ranging from about 1.30 to about 2.20, and sulfur content ranging from 0.001 wt % to about 8 wt %. Methods of manufacturing the polymerized oil as well as its incorporation into asphalt paving, roofing, and coating applications are also described.

Described herein is a polymerized biorenewable, previously modified, or functionalized oil, comprising a polymeric distribution having about 2 to 80 wt % oligomer content, a polydispersity index ranging from about 1.30 to about 2.20, and sulfur content ranging from 0.001 wt % to about 8 wt %. Methods of manufacturing the polymerized oil as well as its incorporation into asphalt paving, roofing, and coating applications are also described.

Disclosed herein are rejuvenating compositions for asphalt applications. In one aspect, the rejuvenating composition comprises a polymerized oil having a polymeric distribution ranging from about 2 to about 80 wt % oligomer content and Hildebrand solubility ranging from about 6 to about 12. In another aspect, the rejuvenating composition comprises an oil having a Hildebrand solubility ranging from about 6 to about 12 and a flash point ranging from about 100 C. to about 400 C. In yet another aspect, the rejuvenating composition comprises a modified oil having a Hildebrand solubility ranging from about 6 to about 12 and a flash point ranging from about 100 C. to about 400 C.

The present invention is generally related to the analysis of chemical compositions of hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon blends. This method, in particular embodiments, may apply specifically to the problem of analyzing extremely complex hydrocarbon-containing mixtures when the number and diversity of molecules makes it extremely difficult or impossible to realistically identify and quantify them individually in a reasonable timeframe. Particular SEC (size exclusion chromatography)-based methods and apparatus disclosed herein may be used to measure, e.g., the molecular size, weight, and/or volume, whether in absolute or relative manner, of the various components of eluate from the SEC stationary phase (e.g., a permeable gel). This analytical method is applicable on a wide variety of hydrocarbonaceous materials, and especially useful for, but not limited to oil, maltenes of oil, asphalt binders and asphalt binder blends, which may contain wide varieties of different types of additives, modifiers, and chemistries.

At least one embodiment of the inventive technology may involve the intentional changing of the stability of an emulsion from a first stability to a more desired, second stability upon the addition of a more aromatic asphaltene subfraction (perhaps even a most aromatic asphaltene subfraction), or a less aromatic asphaltene subfraction (perhaps even a least aromatic asphaltene subfraction) to a emulsion hydrocarbon of an oil emulsion, thereby increasing emulsion stability or decreasing emulsion stability, respectively. Precipitation and redissolution or sorbent-based techniques may be used to isolate a selected an asphaltene subfraction before its addition to an emulsion hydrocarbon when that hydrocarbon is part of an emulsion or an ingredient of a yet-to-be-formed emulsion.

Disclosed are binders and methods for making such binders with crude sterols. The crude sterols improve various rheological properties of the binders.

A system configured to determine a property of a paving-related material is provided. The system includes a measuring device configured for measuring a property of a paving-related material and a cellular computer device configured for being in communication with and receiving data from the measuring device.

Disclosed are asphalt and asphalt binders and methods for making such compositions with sterols. The sterols improve various rheological properties. Also disclosed are methods of determining the changes or improvements of various rheoloical properties.

In at least one embodiment, the inventive technology relates to in-vessel generation of a material from a solution of interest as part of a processing and/or analysis operation. Preferred embodiments of the in-vessel material generation (e.g., in-vessel solid material generation) include precipitation; in certain embodiments, analysis and/or processing of the solution of interest may include dissolution of the material, perhaps as part of a successive dissolution protocol using solvents of increasing ability to dissolve. Applications include, but are by no means limited to estimation of a coking onset and solution (e.g., oil) fractionating.

Methods are provided for predicting the properties of an asphalt fraction that contains two or more asphalt components based on measurements of the viscosity versus temperature profile for the components of the asphalt fraction. The viscosity versus temperature profile for each component can be used to determine characteristic (such as limiting) values for the viscosity and temperature for a component. Based on this ability to determine characteristic values for an asphalt blend based on the properties of individual blend components, appropriate blends of asphalts can be selected in order to arrive at an asphalt blend with desired properties.