Effects of furfural activated crumb rubber on the properties of rubberized asphalt

The use of furfural (C5H4O2) as an activation agent has been suggested as a method to improve the rheological properties of asphalt binders due to its compatibility with crumb rubber. This study uses five different crude sources and both ambient and cryogenic produced crumb rubber modifiers (CRM). The rheological properties for furfural activated and conventional CRM binders were evaluated using the dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) and the gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The results indicated that furfural activation has variable effects on the properties of the CRM binder. However, the most pronounced effect is shown in the storage stability improvement which will have an effect on the storage of CRM binder. Also, the activation caused a reduction in the ratio of the small molecular size distribution which is considered an improvement in the binder properties.

► A significant improvement in storage stability was observed when using the furfural activated crumb rubber.
► Furfural activated CRM binder is less susceptible to rutting.
► Furfural activated CRM binders showed a stiffer and less resistant to penetration at the mid range temperature binder.
► GPC result indicated that the furfural activated CRM binder showed a significant decrease in the smaller molecular size.