The Effect of Modified Asphalt Binders by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffraction, and Scanning Electron Microscopy

Two performance-grade asphalt binders, PG 64-10 and PG 76-10, and two modifiers, Acrylate Styrene Acrylonhrtilrei (ASA) polymer and nanomaterials of Al2O3, have been used to modify properties of asphalt mixes. The main function of this study is to characterize and assess materials of modified asphalt binder mixes by three important rheological properties, namely Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). For the same mixes of modified asphalt binders, physical properties were obtained previously, therefore, FTIR, SEM, and XRD results followed the results of physical properties. The data analysis clearly indicates that although the SEM images show uniform dispersion of the ASA and Al2O3, it has been concluded that the FTIR spectra of ASA polymer- and Al2O3-altered asphalt binders were similar notwithstanding highest points, which established that no adjustment in structure occurred in the altered binders associated with the original asphalt binder. The results of the properties of asphalt with the use of ASA polymer are more notable than those with the use of Al2O3nanomaterials.