Effect of Viscosity Reduction by Rubber Organic Degradation Agents in High-Rubber-Content Asphalt

The increase in the viscosity of high-rubber-content asphalt modified with rubber powder at high temperatures leads to processing difficulties and drastic changes in physical properties, which have long been a challenge in the asphalt industry. Although viscosity reducers have shown great potential in addressing these issues, their mechanisms of action in high-rubber-content asphalt modified with rubber powder remain unclear. This study employs diphenyl disulfide (DD) as a viscosity reducer and elucidates its mechanism of action in high-rubber-content asphalt, which includes three stages: (1) dissolution and dispersion in the asphalt matrix; (2) impregnation into the crosslinked network of the rubber powder; and (3) de-crosslinking via active free radicals. By optimizing the pre-impregnation time (12 h), temperature (110 °C), and rubber powder particle size (160-180 µm), the dispersion of DD can be enhanced, thereby improving the processability of high-rubber-content asphalt modified with rubber powder. Compared to untreated asphalt, the optimized conditions result in a significant reduction in the crosslinking density of 50% and a substantial decrease in viscosity at 180 °C. This study provides new insights into the viscosity reduction of high-rubber-content asphalt modified with rubber powder and contributes to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of viscosity reducers.