Binder that is solid at room temperature

1. A binder composition comprising at least:

a binder base selected from the group consisting of an oil, a bitumen base, a pitch, a clear binder, and mixtures thereof,

an acid compound of general formula (I):

R—(COOH) z   (I)

wherein R represents a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated chain comprising from 4 to 68 carbon atoms and z is an integer ranging from 2 to 4, and

an amide an amide compound of general formula (II):

R′—(NH) n CONH—(X) m —(NHCO)p(NH) n —R″  (II)

wherein:

the R′ and R″ groups, which may be identical or different, represent a saturated or unsaturated and linear, branched or cyclic hydrocarbon-based chain comprising from 1 to 22 carbon atoms which optionally comprises heteroatoms, C 5 -C 24 hydrocarbon-based rings and/or C 4 -C 24 hydrocarbon-based heterocycles comprising one or more heteroatoms, and R″ may be H;

the X group represents a saturated or unsaturated and linear, cyclic or branched hydrocarbon-based chain comprising from 1 to 22 carbon atoms which is optionally substituted and which optionally comprises heteroatoms, C 5 -C 24 hydrocarbon-based rings and/or C 4 -C 24 hydrocarbon-based heterocycles comprising one or more heteroatoms,

n, m and p are integers having a value of 0 or 1, independently of one another,

the composition comprises between 0.1% and 5% by weight of the acid compound, relative to a total weight of the binder composition, and between 0.1% and 5% by weight of the amide compound, relative to the total weight of the binder composition, and

the acid compound and the amide compound are present in an acid compound:amide compound weight ratio ranging from 10:1 to 1:16, said binder composition being in a form that is solid under cold conditions and divided.

2. The binder composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the acid compound and the amide compound are present in a weight ratio ranging from 5:1 to 1:9.

3. The binder composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the acid compound is a diacid of general formula HOOC—C w H 2w —COOH, wherein w is an integer varying from 4 to 22.

4. The binder composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the amide compound is chosen from those of formula (IIA):

R′—CONH—(X) m —NHCO—R″  (IIA)

wherein:

the R′ and R″ groups, which may be identical or different, represent a saturated or unsaturated and linear, branched or cyclic hydrocarbon-based chain comprising from 1 to 22 carbon atoms which optionally comprises heteroatoms, C 5 -C 24 hydrocarbon-based rings and/or C 4 -C 24 hydrocarbon-based heterocycles comprising one or more heteroatoms;

the X group represents a saturated or unsaturated and linear, cyclic or branched hydrocarbon-based chain comprising from 1 to 22 carbon atoms which is optionally substituted and which optionally comprises heteroatoms, C 5 -C 24 hydrocarbon-based rings and/or C 4 -C 24 hydrocarbon-based heterocycles comprising one or more heteroatoms;

m is an integer having a value of 0 or 1.

5. The binder composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the amide compound is chosen from those of formula (IIB):

R′—CONH—R″  (IIB)

wherein:

the R′ and R″ groups, which may be identical or different, represent a saturated or unsaturated and linear, branched or cyclic hydrocarbon-based chain comprising from 1 to 22 carbon atoms which optionally comprises heteroatoms, C 5 -C 24 hydrocarbon-based rings and/or C 4 -C 24 hydrocarbon-based heterocycles comprising one or more heteroatoms.

6. The binder composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the amide compound is chosen from:

hydrazides;

diamides; and

monoamides.

7. The binder composition as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the amide compound is chosen from hydrazide selected from the group consisting of: C 5 H 11 —CONH—NHCO—C 5 H 11 , C 9 H 19 —CONH—NHCO—C 9 H 19 , C 11 H 23 —CONH—NHCO—C 11 H 23 , C 17 H 35 —CONH—NHCO—C 17 H 35 , or C 21 H 43 —CONH—NHCO—C 21 H 43 .

8. The binder composition as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the amide compound is chosen from diamides selected from the group consisting of: N,N′-ethylenedi(laurylamide) of formula C 11 H 23 —CONH—CH 2 —CH 2 —NHCO—C 11 H 23 , N,N′-ethylenedi(myristylamide) of formula C 13 H 27 —CONH—CH 2 —CH 2 —NHCO—C 13 H 27 , N,N′-ethylenedi(palmitamide) of formula C 15 H 31 —CONH—CH 2 —CH 2 —NHCO—C 15 H 31 , N,N′-ethylenedi(stearamide) of formula C 17 H 35 —CONH—CH 2 —CH 2 —NHCO—C 17 H 35 .

9. The binder composition as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the amide compound is N,N′-ethylenedi(stearamide) of formula C 17 H 35 —CONH—CH 2 —CH 2 —NHCO—C 17 H 35 .

10. The binder composition as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the amide compound is chosen from monoamides selected from the group consisting of: laurylamide of formula C 11 H 23 —CONH 2 , myristylamide of formula C 13 H 27 —CONH 2 , palmitamide of formula C 15 H 31 —CONH 2 , stearamide of formula C 17 H 35 —CONH 2 .

11. The binder composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein it is prepared by bringing into contact:

at least one binder base chosen from oils, bitumen bases, pitches, clear binders or mixtures thereof,

between 0.1% and 5% by weight, by weight of the acid compound, relative to a total weight of the binder composition,

between 0.1% and 5% by weight, of the amide compound, relative to the total weight of the binder composition,

optionally between 0.5% and 20% by weight, of at least one anticaking agent, relative to the total weight of the binder composition,

a weight ratio of the acid compound to the relative to the total weight of the binder composition,

a weight ratio of the acid compound to the amide compound being from 10:1 to 1:16.

12. The binder composition as claimed in claim 1 , which is in the form of bitumen block or bitumen pellets.

13. A bituminous composition comprising a binder composition as claimed in claim 1 and which further comprises aggregates and/or fillers.

14. The binder composition of claim 1 , which is a bituminous mix and which comprises aggregates and optionally mineral and/or synthetic fillers.

15. A process for manufacturing bituminous mixes comprising at least the binder composition as claimed in claim 1 and aggregates, this process comprising at least the steps of:

heating the aggregates to a temperature ranging from 100° C. to 180° C.,

mixing the aggregates with the binder composition as claimed in claim 1 ,

obtaining bituminous mixes.

16. The process as claimed in claim 15 , which does not comprise a step of heating the binder composition before it is mixed with the aggregates.

17. The bituminous composition of claim 13 , which is a bituminous mastic and which comprises fillers.