IP Library Granted Patent US 12698395
Granted Patent B2
US 12698395 · App. 18/084,992 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Bio-agent for extraction of asphaltene from siliceous surfaces

Inventors: Elham Fini (Phoenix, AZ); Saba Shariati (Shenzhen, CN)
Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of Arizona State University
C08L95/00C08L2555/34C08L2555/64
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12698395
App. No.
18/084,992
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Treating aged asphalt includes contacting aged asphalt with a bioagent to yield a mixture. The aged asphalt includes a siliceous stone component and bitumen, and the bioagent includes bio-oils formed from hybrid biomasses. The siliceous stone component and the bitumen are separated. The bioagent promotes separation of the siliceous stone from the bitumen. A rejuvenated bitumen composition includes recycled bitumen, virgin bitumen, and a bioagent. The recycled bitumen can be produced from recycled asphalt paving, and the bioagent can include bio-oils formed from hybrid biomasses.

Claims (16)

1 . A method of treating aged asphalt, the method comprising:

contacting aged asphalt with a bioagent to yield a mixture, wherein the aged asphalt comprises a siliceous stone component and bitumen, and the bioagent comprises bio-oils formed from swine manure and algae; and

separating the siliceous stone component from the bitumen to yield a recovered bitumen,

wherein the bioagent promotes separation of the siliceous stone component from the bitumen.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bioagent peptizes the recovered bitumen.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising combining the recovered bitumen with additional bitumen to yield a mixed bitumen.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising combining the mixed bitumen with aggregate to yield asphalt.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the bioagent forms a hydrophobic bridge between the siliceous stone component and the bitumen, thereby enhancing water-damage resistance of the mixed bitumen.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bioagent comprises one or more of p-cresol, phenol, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, 1-methyl-9H-pyrido[3,4-b] indole, N-methyl-myristamide, nonadecanamide, 1-butyl-piperidine, and mesitonitrile.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bioagent comprises specific functional groups comprising polar oxygen and nitrogen heteroatoms.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bioagent is produced from a mixture comprising about 10 wt % to about 30 wt % of the swine manure and about 70 wt % to about 90 wt % of the algae.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture comprises about 5 wt % to about 15 wt % of the bioagent and about 85 wt % to about 95 wt % of the aged asphalt.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein separating the siliceous stone component from the bitumen comprises washing the bitumen from a surface of the siliceous stone component.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bioagent comprises one or more of phenol compounds, heterocyclic compounds, aliphatic compounds comprising oxygen and nitrogen, aromatic compounds comprising nitrogen, and fused aromatic compounds comprising nitrogen.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the bioagent by hydrothermal liquefaction of the swine manure and the algae.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bio-oils comprise waste cooking oil.