Polymer-modified, vulcanized asphalt composition and its method of preparation

1. A method for preparing a polymer-modified, vulcanized asphalt composition comprising

i) treating an asphalt cement under mild oxidizing conditions sufficient to provide a change in viscosity as measured at 140° C. from 100 to 500 poises per hour of said asphalt cement,

ii) adding from about 1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of a polymer based on weight of said asphalt cement,

iii) vulcanizing the polymer-containing asphalt cement,

wherein said asphalt cement is selected from the group consisting of natural asphalts and synthetic asphalts, the polymer comprising a linear block copolymer added in amounts ranging from about 1 wt. % to about 5 wt. %;

iv) maintaining said asphalt cement at temperatures ranging from 100° to 400° C. and injecting air to said asphalt cement at about 1 to about 10 SCFH, for 0.1 to 5 hours, and wherein said vulcanizing is carried out by adding about 0.01 wt. % to about 1 wt. % sulfur based on said asphalt cement content to provide a sulfur-containing mixture and maintaining the resulting mixture at a temperature ranging from about 150° to about 240° C. for about 0.5 to about 2 hours.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said mild oxidizing conditions are sufficient to provide a change in viscosity as measured at 140° C. from 300 to 500 poises per hour, of said asphalt cement.

3. A method for preparing a polymer-modified, vulcanized asphalt composition comprising

i) treating an asphalt cement under mild oxidizing conditions sufficient to provide a change in viscosity as measured at 140° C. of 100 to 500 poises per hour of said asphalt cement,

ii) adding from about 1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of a polymer based on weight of said asphalt cement and,

iii) vulcanizing the Polymer-containing asphalt cement,

wherein said oxidizing conditions comprise maintaining said asphalt cement at temperatures ranging from 150° to 260° C. and injecting air to said asphalt cement at 2 to 5 SCFH, for 0.5 to 3 hours, said polymer is selected from the group consisting of styrene-butadiene diblock copolymer (SB), styrene-isoprene-styrene triblock copolymer (SIS), and styrene-butadiene-styrene triblock copolymer (SBS), said polymer being added in amounts ranging from 3 to 4 wt. % of said asphalt cement, and said vulcanizing being carried out by adding from about 0.1 wt. % to about 0.5 wt. % sulfur based on said asphalt cement content to provide a sulfur-containing mixture and maintaining the resulting mixture at a temperature ranging from about 150° to about 240° C. for about 0.5 to about 2 hours.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said asphalt cement comprises at least 80 wt. % of said asphalt composition and comprises a petroleum bitumen.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said asphalt cement comprises about 80 wt. % to about 98.9 wt. % of said asphalt composition.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said asphalt cement comprises solvent deasphalting bottoms.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said asphalt cement comprises solvent deasphalting bottoms and aromatic extract.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said sulfur is added as elemental sulfur.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said sulfur is added as a sulfur compound.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said mild oxidizing conditions are sufficient to provide a change in viscosity as measured at 140° C. from 300 to 400 poises per hour, of said asphalt cement.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said mild oxidizing conditions are sufficient to provide a change in viscosity as measured at 140° C. of 120 poises per hour, of said asphalt cement.

12. A polymer-modified, vulcanized asphalt composition produced by the method of claim 1 .

13. A polymer-modified, vulcanized asphalt composition produced by the method of claim 3 .