The production and maintenance of road pavements consume resources and produce wastes that are disposed to landfills. With the aim to make more sustainable this activity , we have individuated a method based on a circular use of residues (bio-oil and char) from municipal waste pyrolysis as useful additives for producing improved asphalts and for recycling old asphalts to generate new ones, reducing at the same time the consumption of resources for the production of new road pavements and the disposal of wastes to landfills. This work aims to show the feasibility of the closing up of the two processes (treatment of municipal wastes on a side, and that of road pavement on the other side) where the products deriving from waste treatment become added-value materials to improve the quality of road pavements. Due to the huge amount of municipal wastes and spent road pavements all around the world, the implications of this circular economy - based pathway are expected to be relevant. The proposed approach stems from the needs of a clear understanding of the sub-microscopic, supramolecular and physico-chemical processes responsible for the overall bitumen behaviour. In this contribute we presented the effect of char addition (the solid residue of the waste pyrolysis process) on bitumen preparation. Two char, deriving from the pyrolysis of two kinds of waste derivatives (refused solid waste, RDF, and granulated rubber tyre waste), have been used for the preparation of bitumens samples. Reological tests have been performed to determine the mechanical properties of neat bitumen and those of bitumens enriched with char nanoparticles. Measurements to evaluate possible anti-aging effects have been also performed. This work could represent a clear example of how the deep physical chemistry knowledge of complex systems, like bituminous matrices, helps in solving environmental issues. We wish this approach could be considered as model method for the future, with an eye to the environmental protection.
Physical chemistry helping circular economy: the virtuous matching of pyrolysis residues and bitumens improvement
P Calandra;M Alfè;V Gargiulo;G Ruoppolo;
2022
Abstract
The production and maintenance of road pavements consume resources and produce wastes that are disposed to landfills. With the aim to make more sustainable this activity , we have individuated a method based on a circular use of residues (bio-oil and char) from municipal waste pyrolysis as useful additives for producing improved asphalts and for recycling old asphalts to generate new ones, reducing at the same time the consumption of resources for the production of new road pavements and the disposal of wastes to landfills. This work aims to show the feasibility of the closing up of the two processes (treatment of municipal wastes on a side, and that of road pavement on the other side) where the products deriving from waste treatment become added-value materials to improve the quality of road pavements. Due to the huge amount of municipal wastes and spent road pavements all around the world, the implications of this circular economy - based pathway are expected to be relevant. The proposed approach stems from the needs of a clear understanding of the sub-microscopic, supramolecular and physico-chemical processes responsible for the overall bitumen behaviour. In this contribute we presented the effect of char addition (the solid residue of the waste pyrolysis process) on bitumen preparation. Two char, deriving from the pyrolysis of two kinds of waste derivatives (refused solid waste, RDF, and granulated rubber tyre waste), have been used for the preparation of bitumens samples. Reological tests have been performed to determine the mechanical properties of neat bitumen and those of bitumens enriched with char nanoparticles. Measurements to evaluate possible anti-aging effects have been also performed. This work could represent a clear example of how the deep physical chemistry knowledge of complex systems, like bituminous matrices, helps in solving environmental issues. We wish this approach could be considered as model method for the future, with an eye to the environmental protection.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
