Laboratory investigation on the microstructure and performance of SBS modified epoxy asphalt binder.

• Phase separation of ESBA disrupts the original dispersion of SBS in the asphalt. • The size of SBS domains in ESBAs increases in the SBS loading. • ESBA's viscosity increases in the SBS loading. • The thermal stability of ESBAs enhances with the increase of SBS loading. • The neat EA's elongation at break increases by 56% with the addition of 3 wt% SBS. Both styrene–butadiene-styrene copolymer (SBS) and epoxy resin have been widely applied in the asphalt modification. The influence of SBS concentration on the morphology, viscosity, thermal stability, glass transition temperature (T g), damping performance and mechanical behaviors of the neat EA binder was studied. Double phase separation occurred in the epoxy SBS modified asphalt (ESBA): main phase separation between epoxy and the SBS modified asphalt (SBA) and secondary phase separation between asphalt and SBS. The occurrence of phase separation in the ESBA disrupted the original dispersion of SBS particles in SBA and resulted in the redistribution of SBS in the form of smaller spherical particles. The inclusion of SBS increased the viscosity of the neat EA. Furthermore, the viscosity of ESBAs increased with the SBS content. ESBAs had as long as 150-min construction time for the mixture pavement. The presence of SBS improved the thermostability of the neat EA. In terms of ESBAs, the thermostability increased with the SBS content. The addition of SBS lowered the T g of the neat EA when the SBS content was lower than 4 wt%. The T g of ESBAs increased with the SBS content. The incorporation of SBS significantly enhanced the damping behaviors of the neat EA. The tensile strength of the neat EA was improved with the addition of 2 wt% SBS. The inclusion of SBS improved the elongation at break and the toughness of the neat EA when the SBS loading was greater than 1 wt%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]