System and method for pre-treatment of rubber-modified asphalt cement, and emulsions thereof

1. A cured rubber-modified asphalt cement composition, comprising:

a pre-treated rubber-modified asphalt cement emulsion applied to a surface and cured forming a cured coating or residue on the surface;

wherein the pre-treated rubber-modified asphalt cement emulsion, comprises:

i) a pre-treatment rubber-modified asphalt cement mixture comprising:

1) a rubber-modified asphalt cement, comprising 5-15 wt. % of rubber, relative to the total weight of the rubber-modified asphalt cement, wherein the rubber within the rubber-modified asphalt cement has an average size of less than about 20 microns; and

2) an emulsifier, comprising a diamine compound;

ii) an emulsification solution, comprising water and 0.01-10 wt. % of a hydrophobic clay, relative to the total weight of the pre-treated rubber-modified asphalt cement emulsion; and

iii) 55 wt. % or less of solids;

wherein the cured coating has a softening point of 310° F. or greater, as determined by ASTM D 36.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the clay is sepiolite clay.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the rubber-modified asphalt cement comprises one or more additives, comprising a thickener, an anti-foam agent, a polymer latex, a sulfonic acid, or a surfactant.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises from about 0.01 to 25 wt % of the rubber-modified asphalt cement.

5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises from about 9 to 13 wt. % of rubber, relative to the total wt. % of the rubber-modified asphalt cement.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises one or more emulsifiers.

7. The composition of claim 6 , wherein the one or more emulsifiers comprises one or more amine-containing compounds.

8. The composition of claim 6 , wherein the one or more emulsifiers comprises at least one of the following, relative to the total weight of the emulsion composition:

i) from about 30 to 50 wt. % of the diamine compound;

ii) from about 20 to 40 wt. % of an amine oxyalkylate compound;

iii) from about 15 to 25 wt. % of a carboxylic acid compound;

iv) from about 5 to 10 wt. % of one or more aromatic hydrocarbon compounds; and

v) from about 5 to 10 wt. % of a tall oil compound.

9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the emulsification solution comprises one or more surfactants.

10. The composition of claim 9 , wherein the one or more surfactants comprises a non-ionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, or an anionic surfactant.

11. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the emulsion composition is prepared by:

a) preparing a pre-treatment mixture, comprising:

i) a rubber-modified asphalt cement; and

ii) one or more emulsifiers, comprising a diamine compound;

b) preparing an aqueous emulsification solution comprising clay; and

c) contacting the prepared pre-treatment mixture with the prepared aqueous emulsification solution.

12. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the surface is a paved surface, industrial surface, or building surface.

13. The composition of claim 12 , wherein the paved surface is a roadway, driving surface, or a paved surface.

14. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the cured coating enhances corrosion resistance of steel or concrete, and/or improves fire resistance of the surface.

15. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the applied and cured pre-treated rubber-modified asphalt cement emulsion forms a seal coat and/or a surface sealer to the surface.

16. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the pre-treated rubber-modified asphalt cement emulsion is applied to the surface via a computer rate control asphalt spreader truck, a hand spray wand, or by squeegee.

17. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the cured composition has a high and/or an enhanced resistance to water, fuel, and/or UV, as compared to cured coatings prepared from RMACs that are not pre-treated.

18. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the cured coating comprises and/or exhibits no tackiness, low tackiness, and/or substantially no tackiness properties.

19. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the cured coating has one or more properties, comprising:

i) less than 10 wt. % loss of the cured coating occurs during the Wet Track Abrasion Test;

ii) substantially no cured coating sags and/or slips after exposure for about 2 hours at 212° F.±9° F., as determined by the Resistance to Heat Test;

iii) substantially no blistering and/or re-emulsification of the cured coating occurs after submersion for greater than about 8 hours in water having a temperature of about 75° F.±5° F., as determined by the Resistance to Water Test;

iv) less than about 10 wt. % of the cured coating flows beyond an initial reference line, as determined by the Wet Flow Test;

v) no continued combustion, slippage, and/or run-down of the cured coating occurs, as determined by the Direct Flame Test; or

vi) minimal, low, substantially no, and/or no cracking, chipping, surface distortion, color fading, lightening, and/or loss of adhesion of the cured coating occurs when contacted with and/or applied to a ceramic tile and exposed to ultraviolet light and condensation, as determined by the Accelerated Weathering Test.