Enhancement of Compatibility of SBS Modified Asphalt by CNTs: Interpretation from Dissipative Particle Dynamics Simulations

Abstract

Abstract The compatibility of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) with base asphalt is known to restrict the application of SBS modified asphalt. In this study, carbon nanotubes (CNT) were used to enhance the compatibility between SBS and base asphalt. The effect of CNTs on the compatibility of SBS modified asphalt was investigated by dynamic mechanics analysis (DMA), and the micro-mechanism of CNTs enhancing the compatibility of SBS modified asphalt was studied by using dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulation. The results show that CNTs can significantly improve the compatibility between SBS and base asphalt, and the microscopic mechanism is that CNTs can change the distribution morphology of SBS in base asphalt, making the distribution of SBS modified asphalt more uniform, which promotes the development of polymer-rich phase in SBS modified asphalt. This study can provide theoretical guidance for the practical application of SBS modified asphalt.