Roadway resurfacing often requires removal of the existing asphalt from the roadway for reuse. One method of resurfacing a roadway is hot-in-place recycling. Hot-in-place recycling employs substantial heat to remove the oxidized or aged asphalt. This heat further oxidizes the asphalt, creating a material that lacks many desirable properties (e.g., flowability) and flexibility. The disclosure provides compositions and methods that enhance oxidized asphalt, making it more viable for use in resurfacing roadways. Accordingly, compositions comprising recycled asphalt pavement and a rejuvenating agent are disclosed. The compositions combine a rejuvenator and fresh asphalt flux to make a modified asphalt rejuvenator. The modified rejuvenator is then mixed with recycled asphalt pavement to form a rejuvenated asphalt composition.

Roadway resurfacing often requires removal of the existing asphalt from the roadway for reuse. One method of resurfacing a roadway is hot-in-place recycling. Hot-in-place recycling employs substantial heat to remove the oxidized or aged asphalt. This heat further oxidizes the asphalt, creating a material that lacks many desirable properties (e.g., flowability) and flexibility. The disclosure provides compositions and methods that enhance oxidized asphalt, making it more viable for use in resurfacing roadways. Accordingly, compositions comprising recycled asphalt pavement and a rejuvenating agent are disclosed. The compositions combine a rejuvenator and fresh asphalt flux to make a modified asphalt rejuvenator. The modified rejuvenator is then mixed with recycled asphalt pavement to form a rejuvenated asphalt composition.

A method of modifying a polymer or plastic is provided wherein a polymer system, comprising one or more polymer chains, is amorphous, crystalline, semi-crystalline or a combination thereof. The process including exposing the polymer system in a solid, liquid or gas solvent such that the polymer system changes configuration or said polymer changes morphology. The process further comprises subjecting the polymer system to a thermodynamic mechanism such that the Gibbs Free Energy of the polymer system is lowered, the polymer system's entropy is increased, and its chain orientation or morphology is altered.

A method of modifying a polymer or plastic is provided wherein a polymer system, comprising one or more polymer chains, is amorphous, crystalline, semi-crystalline or a combination thereof. The process including exposing the polymer system in a solid, liquid or gas solvent such that the polymer system changes configuration or said polymer changes morphology. The process further comprises subjecting the polymer system to a thermodynamic mechanism such that the Gibbs Free Energy of the polymer system is lowered, the polymer system's entropy is increased, and its chain orientation or morphology is altered.

A waste polyester material is prepared for recycling by dissolving the material in a solution comprising hexafluoroisopropyl (HFIPA) and a chlorinated hydrocarbon, such as dichloromethane (DCM) and/or an aromatic hydrocarbon, such as toluene or xylene, to form a dissolved polyester sample. The dissolved polyester may be prepared for recycling by evaporation, spray drying, and/or precipitation, which produces a purified solid polyester product. The dissolution solution, which is separated from the purified solid polyester product, is also recycled through distillation with purification.

A waste polyester material is prepared for recycling by dissolving the material in a solution comprising hexafluoroisopropyl (HFIPA) and a chlorinated hydrocarbon, such as dichloromethane (DCM) and/or an aromatic hydrocarbon, such as toluene or xylene, to form a dissolved polyester sample. The dissolved polyester may be prepared for recycling by evaporation, spray drying, and/or precipitation, which produces a purified solid polyester product. The dissolution solution, which is separated from the purified solid polyester product, is also recycled through distillation with purification.

Pre-treating a waste polyester material with dichloromethane (DCM) produce purified polyester for reuse. The purified polyester can be recycled via any chemical or mechanical recycling process. Where the waste polyester material includes non-polyester contaminants, the DCM-treated polyester material produces a slurry that includes the DCM, a solid component that includes a polyester monomer product for reuse, and a waste liquid component where the non-polyester contaminants can be filtered from the top of the liquid component.

Pre-treating a waste polyester material with dichloromethane (DCM) produce purified polyester for reuse. The purified polyester can be recycled via any chemical or mechanical recycling process. Where the waste polyester material includes non-polyester contaminants, the DCM-treated polyester material produces a slurry that includes the DCM, a solid component that includes a polyester monomer product for reuse, and a waste liquid component where the non-polyester contaminants can be filtered from the top of the liquid component.

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to composite recycling and provide a novel and non-obvious dissolution tank, recycling system and recycling process adapted for the separation of fibers during composite dissolution. In an embodiment of the invention, a dissolution tank adapted for composite dissolution and fiber separation includes a tank, a pair of opposing perforated structures disposed within the tank, an actuator coupled to the perforated structures and configured to drive the pair of structures towards one another, and a control system programmed to direct the actuator to drive the structures towards one another responsive to a determination that a composite part disposed between the structures is transforming from a rigid state.

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to composite recycling and provide a novel and non-obvious dissolution tank, recycling system and recycling process adapted for the separation of fibers during composite dissolution. In an embodiment of the invention, a dissolution tank adapted for composite dissolution and fiber separation includes a tank, a pair of opposing perforated structures disposed within the tank, an actuator coupled to the perforated structures and configured to drive the pair of structures towards one another, and a control system programmed to direct the actuator to drive the structures towards one another responsive to a determination that a composite part disposed between the structures is transforming from a rigid state.