Enhancement of Asphalt Resilience through Functionalization of Natural Rubber with Glycidyl Methacrylate, Maleic Anhydride, and Divinylbenzene

Abstract

Asphalt is an important construction material in the development of road and transportation infrastructure. However, this material often encounters challenges, such as cracking and deformation due to traffic loads and environmental changes. An effective solution is the modification of Asphalt using functionalized natural rubber (NR). Therefore, this research aimed to enhance Asphalt resilience by using NR functionalized with Glycidyl Methacrylate (GMA), Maleic Anhydride (MA), and Divinylbenzene (DVB), as well as to understand the interactions between the materials. An Internal Mixer with heating, monomer addition, and purification was used for the grafting process of GMA, MA, and DVB onto NR. The functionalized NR was integrated into the Asphalt matrix through heating processes. The results showed that NR functionalized with GMA, MA, and DVB successfully improved the physical, rheological, thermal, and morphological properties of Asphalt. Asphalt/NR-g-GMA sample achieved the highest values at 25°C, with a penetration of 68.7 mm, a softening point of 55.5° with a penetration of 173 cm. Rheological analysis showed an increased post-aging complex shear modulus, particularly in asphalt/NR-g-MA. This result showed superior performance and compatibility, reaching 12.86 kPa at 58°C before aging and 23.63 kPa afterward. Morphological analysis showed a more harmonious surface structure in Asphalt modified with NR-g-GMA. In addition, FTIR analysis showed distinct spectrum changes between Asphalt/NR and the modification with NR-g-GMA, NR-g-MA, and NR-g-DVB, suggesting interactions between asphalt and the functionalized NR. In conclusion, this research showed that functionalized NR caused significant chemical interactions, improving the physical, rheological, thermal, and morphological properties, as well as the durability and resilience of asphalt.

Keywords

• asphalt
• divinylbenzene
• glycidyl methacrylate
• maleic anhydride
• natural rubber