Disclosed are asphalt binder compositions and methods for making such compositions with pure sterol:crude sterol blends. The sterol blends improve various rheological properties.

Asphalt modifier packages and rubber-modified asphalts including the packages are described. Asphalt modifier packages can include an amine functionalized wax and an elastomeric polymer in conjunction with ground tire rubber. Asphalt modifiers can include a ground tire rubber compounded with a reactive elastomeric terpolymer. Rubber-modified asphalts can exhibit an excellent stability of the ground tire rubber additive. Rubber-modified asphalts can exhibit a storage stability separation factor of about 6° F. or less, an MSCR J.sub.nr value of from about 0.05 to about 2 at 3.2 kPa and 67° C., and an MSCR percent recovery of from about 20% to about 75% at 3.2 kPa and 67° C.

Compositions, methods, and uses of calcium carbonate-based composition are presented. The calcium carbonate-based composition includes a plurality of restructured calcium carbonate particles that has an average size of equal or less than 10 microns in diameter. Preferably, the calcium carbonate-based composition is generated by unstructuring the aragonite using an acid and a chelator and recrystallizing the unstructured aragonite in a customized form. Exemplary aragonite-based compositions include pavement compositions.

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

A first method for generating a solubilized tire rubber bitumen compound is described. The first method begins by heating a first bitumen compound and a tire rubber compound to generate a bitumen wetted tire rubber mixture. The method includes adding a second bitumen compound to the bitumen wetted tire rubber mixture to generate a fully wetted tire rubber bitumen mixture. The method then proceeds to generate a devulcanized fully wetted tire rubber bitumen mixture, which is heated with mixing to between 500° F. and 700° F. to generate the solubilized tire rubber bitumen compound. Additionally, a second method for generating a solubilized tire rubber bitumen compound is described. The second method includes heating a first bitumen compound and a tire rubber compound to generate a devulcanized tire rubber bitumen mixture. The devulcanized tire rubber bitumen mixture is heated to generate a bitumen wetted devulcanized tire rubber mixture. Then, a second bitumen compound is added to generate a fully wetted devulcanized tire rubber bitumen mixture, which is heated to between 500° F. and 700° F. to generate the solubilized tire rubber bitumen compound.

Vegetable oil compositions, as an example, corn oil, having an elevated lower alkyl ester content above about 7% weight percent of the total weight of the oil composition, and uses thereof are provided.

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.

A bituminous composition and a process for the preparation of bituminous mixes including at least one bitumen base, at least one compound of general formula Ar1-R.sub.1—Ar.sub.2 (I), and at least one compound of general formula R.sub.2—(NH).sub.nCONH—X—(NHCO).sub.p(NH).sub.n—R′.sub.2 (II). The composition is used as road binder, notably for the preparation of bituminous mixes.

An asphalt pavement modification system and method for improving aging resistance of asphalt pavement and a method of manufacturing reclaimed asphalt pavement. The asphalt pavement modification system and method include using one or more antioxidants and one or more recycling agents in a blended binder to provide improved short term and long term performance of the asphalt pavement. The method of manufacturing reclaimed asphalt pavement includes mixing at least one antioxidant with at least one recycling agent to form a binder that constitutes a portion of the reclaimed asphalt pavement. One of the antioxidants may be zinc diethyldithiocarbamate.

An asphalt composition includes asphalt, a non-epoxidized oil chosen from flux oils, bio oils, recycled motor oils, liquid plasticizers, and combinations thereof, and a polyolefin. The polyolefin has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of from about 1,000 to about 20,000 g/mol, an optional acid number of from about 10 to about 50 mg KOH/g, an optional saponification number of from about 10 to about 100 mg KOH/g, and a density of from about 0.92 to about 1 g/cm.sup.3. The asphalt composition has a performance grade of PG (52 to 88) and (−22 to −40), wherein (52 to 88) is an average seven day maximum pavement design temperature in degrees Celsius and represents deformation resistance and (−22 to −40) is an average one day minimum pavement design temperature in degrees Celsius and represents thermal cracking resistance, each as determined using AASHTO M320.