Investigation of the ultraviolet aging resistance of organic layered double hydroxides modified bitumen

• Two organic LDHs were synthesized to modify bitumen.
• Organic intercalation improves the compatibility between LDHs and bitumen.
• Organic LDHs further enhance the UV aging resistance of bitumen.

Organic layered double hydroxides (LDHs) intercalated with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDSO) were synthesized by anion-exchange method and used to ameliorate the compatibility between LDHs and bitumen, the ultraviolet (UV) aging resistance of organic LDHs modified bitumens were investigated by physical and rheological properties. The results show that the organic intercalation improves the compatibility between LDHs and bitumen due to the conversion of LDHs from hydrophilic to organophilic. Compared with LDHs modified bitumen, organic LDHs modified bitumens exhibit enhanced cracking resistance and high temperature rutting resistance. After UV accelerating aging, the changes of physical and rheological properties of organic LDHs modified bitumens are smaller than that of LDHs modified bitumen, indicating that organic LDHs are superior to LDHs in enhancing UV aging resistance of bitumen.