Method for enhancing the physico-chemical properties of bitumen compositions and novel bitumen compositions with enhanced properties and their uses
The invention concerns method for enhancing the physico-chemical properties of bitumen compositions and novel bitumen compositions with enhanced properties and their uses by mixing a functionalized amorphous silica made by combining amorphous silica with a coupling agent.
1. A process for producing bitumen having improved physicochemical properties comprising the steps of:
(a) combining amorphous silica with a coupling agent to produce a functionalized amorphous silica; and
(b) mixing the functionalized amorphous silica with bitumen.
2. The process of claim 1 , further comprising the step of heating the bitumen to a temperature of between about 120° C. to about 190° C. prior to mixing the functionalized amorphous silica with the bitumen.
3. The process of claim 2 , wherein the amorphous silica is a natural silica or a precipitated silica.
4. The process of claim 3 , wherein the amorphous silica is functionalized using a coupling agent selected from the group consisting of silicon, an alkylsilicon, an aminosilicon, a thiosilicon, an epoxysilicon and mixtures thereof.
5. The process of claim 4 , wherein the quantity of functionalized amorphous silica mixed with the bitumen is between about 0.01% and about 20% by weight compared to the weight of the bitumen formulation.
6. The process of claim 5 , wherein the quantity of functionalized amorphous silica mixed with the bitumen is between about 0.1% and about 7% by weight compared to the weight of the bitumen formulation.
7. The process of claim 5 , wherein the amorphous silica is a precipitated silica in the form of essentially spherical balls having an average size of at least 80 microns.
8. The process of claim 7 , wherein the amorphous silica is a low water uptake silica.
9. The process of claim 1 , further comprising the step of mixing an aggregate material with the bitumen.
10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the quantity of coupling agent combined with the amorphous silica is between about 0.1% to about 30% by weight compared to the weight of the amorphous silica.
11. The process of claim 10 , wherein the quantity of coupling agent combined with the amorphous silica is between about 5% to about 15% by weight compared to the weight of the amorphous silica.
12. The process of claim 1 , wherein the bitumen is selected from the group consisting of asphalt, maltha, a natural bitumen, a pyrobitumen, an artificial bitumen, or mixtures thereof.
13. A process for producing an improved bitumen based coating comprising the steps of:
(a) mixing bitumen, water and an emulsifier at ambient temperature to form a bitumen emulsion;
(b) adding to the bitumen emulsion an amorphous silica combined with a coupling agent to form a functionalized amorphous silica;
(c) spreading the bitumen emulsion containing functionalized amorphous silica to obtain a uniform coating; and
(d) breaking the bitumen emulsion.
14. The process of claim 13 , wherein the amorphous silica is a natural silica or a precipitated silica.
15. The process of claim 14 , wherein the amorphous silica is functionalized using a coupling agent selected from the group consisting of silicon, an alkylsilicon, an aminosilicon, a thiosilicon, an epoxysilicon and mixtures thereof.
16. The process of claim 15 , wherein the quantity of functionalized amorphous silica mixed with the bitumen is between about 0.01% and about 20% by weight compared to the weight of the bitumen formulation.
17. The process of claim 16 , wherein the quantity of functionalized amorphous silica mixed with the bitumen is between about 0.1% and about 7% by weight compared to the weight of the bitumen formulation.
18. The process of claim 16 , wherein the amorphous silica is a precipitated silica in the form of essentially spherical balls having an average size of at least 80 microns.
19. The process of claim 18 , wherein the amorphous silica is a low water uptake silica.
20. The process of claim 13 , further comprising the step of mixing an aggregate material with the bitumen.
21. The process of claim 13 , wherein the quantity of coupling agent combined with the amorphous silica is between about 0.1% to about 30% by weight compared to the weight of the amorphous silica.
22. The process of claim 21 , wherein the quantity of coupling agent combined with the amorphous silica is between about 5% to about 15% by weight compared to the weight of the amorphous silica.
23. The process of claim 13 , wherein the bitumen is selected from the group consisting of asphalt, maltha, a natural bitumen, a pyrobitumen, an artificial bitumen, or mixtures thereof.
24. A process for producing an improved bitumen based coating comprising the steps of:
(a) heating a quantity of bitumen to a temperature of between about 120° C. and about 190° C.;
(b) adding to the heated bitumen an amorphous silica combined with a coupling agent to form a functionalized amorphous silica;
(c) mixing the bitumen/functionalized amorphous silica, water and an emulsifier to form a bitumen emulsion;
(d) spreading the bitumen emulsion containing functionalized amorphous silica to obtain a uniform coating; and
(e) breaking the bitumen emulsion.
25. The process of claim 24 , wherein the amorphous silica is a natural silica or a precipitated silica.
26. The process of claim 25 , wherein the amorphous silica is functionalized using a coupling agent selected from the group consisting of silicon, an alkylsilicon, an aminosilicon, a thiosilicon, an epoxysilicon and mixtures thereof.
27. The process of claim 26 , wherein the quantity of functionalized amorphous silica mixed with the bitumen is between about 0.01% and about 20% by weight compared to the weight of the bitumen formulation.
28. The process of claim 27 , wherein the quantity of functionalized amorphous silica mixed with the bitumen is between about 0.1% and about 7% by weight compared to the weight of the bitumen formulation.
29. The process of claim 27 , wherein the amorphous silica is a precipitated silica in the form of essentially spherical balls having an average size of at least 80 microns.
30. The process of claim 29 , wherein the amorphous silica is a low water uptake silica.
31. The process of claim 24 , further comprising the step of mixing an aggregate material with the bitumen.
32. The process of claim 24 , wherein the quantity of coupling agent combined with the amorphous silica is between about 0.1% to about 30% by weight compared to the weight of the amorphous silica.
33. The process of claim 32 , wherein the quantity of coupling agent combined with the amorphous silica is between about 0.1% to about 30% by weight compared to the weight of the amorphous silica.
34. The process of claim 24 , wherein the bitumen is selected from the group consisting of asphalt, maltha, a natural bitumen, a pyrobitumen, an artificial bitumen, or mixtures thereof.