Integration of Coke and CNMs with Bitumen: Synthesis, Methods, and Characterization

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Civil Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Bitumen modification is crucial for enhancing pavement performance.
• Carbon-based additives offer potential for improving bitumen's mechanical and thermal properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review advancements in using coke and carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) for bitumen modification.
• To explore synthesis, dispersion, and performance impacts on bitumen.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of experimental studies on coke and CNMs in bitumen.
• Analysis of rheological properties, aging resistance, and durability.

Main Results:

• Petroleum coke improves softening point (10-15°C) and rutting resistance (30%), but faces mixing challenges.
• CNTs and graphene enhance rutting resistance, tensile strength, and dispersion with lower additive amounts.
• Both materials offer solutions to technical issues like cost and processing.

Conclusions:

• Carbon-based additives show significant potential for high-performance bitumen composites.
• Future research should focus on combining coke with CNMs for economic and scalable solutions.
• Development of sustainable, next-generation infrastructure materials is facilitated.