EXPERIMENTAL AND THEORETICAL SUBSTANTIATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF BITUMINOUS EMULSIONS RESISTANT TO FREEZE‑THAW CYCLES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55287/22275398_2026_60_13Keywords:
bitumen emulsions;, emulsifiers;, kinetic stability;, freeze thaw cycles.Abstract
The paper presents an experimental and theoretical substantiation for the development of bitumen emulsions capable of maintaining technological performance after freeze‑thaw cycles. The relevance is driven by the need for road construction and maintenance in the Arctic zone and regions of the Russian Federation with a sharply continental climate. The study proposes a hypothesis on the possibility of dual‑barrier stabilisation of emulsions through the synergy of electrostatic repulsion (electric double layer, EDL) and a structural‑mechanical barrier (adsorption‑solvate layer, ASL). A screening of five emulsifiers was carried out using IR spectroscopy and physicochemical methods. The cationic modified lignin Indulin W‑5 was identified as the most promising candidate. Based on this emulsifier, an emulsion was formulated, and the changes in key performance indicators were evaluated after 20 freeze‑thaw cycles. It was experimentally confirmed that the properties of the bitumen emulsion can be preserved for up to 15 cycles, beyond which degradation of the system occurs due to globule coalescence and disruption of the interphase layers.
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