Coupling AFM and CLSM to investigate the effect of ageing on the bee structures of bitumen.

Autor: Pipintakos G; University of Antwerp, EMIB Research Group, Groenenborgerlaan 171, Antwerp, 2020, Belgium. Electronic address: georgios.pipintakos@uantwerpen.be., Blom J; University of Antwerp, EMIB Research Group, Groenenborgerlaan 171, Antwerp, 2020, Belgium., Soenen H; Nynas NV, Groenenborgerlaan 171, Antwerp, 2020, Belgium., Van den Bergh W; University of Antwerp, EMIB Research Group, Groenenborgerlaan 171, Antwerp, 2020, Belgium.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Micron (Oxford, England : 1993) [Micron] 2021 Dec; Vol. 151, pp. 103149. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Sep 21.
DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2021.103149
Abstrakt: Bitumen's surface microstructure is in general well-documented and most recent theories postulate the effect of crystalline wax on the so-called bee structures. Although it is widely accepted that ageing has an effect on this unique microstructure yet conflicting literature exists on clear trends. This paper explores the effect of ageing on the bee structures of bitumen, employing two advanced microscopic techniques: an Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and a Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM). Four waxy and two wax-free bituminous binders are investigated before and after sequential laboratory short- and long-term ageing. The study demonstrates that the number of bees per μm 2 and bee area percentage decrease with ageing, whereas their size is increasing. A systematic analysis of the waveform characteristics is also provided for the peaks and valleys as well as the shape probabilistic values of the bee structures. In conclusion, the results of the two techniques are in good agreement, reporting similar trends upon ageing for the relative bee density. Differences are mainly identified in the waveform calculations. It is believed that this systematic investigation may assist in enhancing the understanding of the effect of ageing on the surface microstructure, the wax distribution as well as on the wax crystallisation.
(Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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