Waste rubber seeds as a renewable energy source: direct biodiesel production using a controlled crushing device

A multistep and high-cost biodiesel production could be simplified using the direct transesterification (DT) method.

Research on Rheology and Micro-properties of Modified Room Temperature Biological Asphalt

In order to explore the rheological property and principles of modified room temperature biological asphalt made with petroleum asphalt, vegetable asphalt, and unsaturated fatty acids as raw materials, waste rubber powder as modifier, and calcium hydroxide powder as curing agent, this paper compared and tested the rheological properties and the original petroleum asphalt by using DSR and BBR, and the micro-properties of the asphalt were studied by using SEM. The PG classification of modified room temperature biological asphalt has been upgraded from PG58-28 of the original petroleum asphalt to PG82-28. Compared with the original petroleum asphalt, the high temperature rheological property of the modified room temperature biological asphalt has been greatly improved. Its low temperature rheological property is equivalent to the original one, but the possibility of cracking is lower. SEM test showed that the components of the modified room temperature biological asphalt are well combined. The calcium hydroxide curing agent reacts with fatty acid and the rubber particles cross link with each other to form a mesh package in the asphalt, which provides strength for the modified temperature biologic asphalt at room temperature.

Low-Temperature Mechano-Chemical Rubber Reclamation Using Terpinene as a Swelling Agent to Enhance Bond-Breaking Selectivity

Common swelling agents used in the mechano-chemical rubber devulcanization process usually require high temperatures to achieve satisfactory swelling effects, which results in severe production of pollutants and reduces the selectivity of bond scissions. This work presents an environmentally friendly swelling agent, terpinene, which can swell the rubber crosslink structures at low temperatures. Both a rubber swelling experiment and a rubber reclaiming experiment with a mechano-chemical devulcanization method are conducted to explore the swelling effects of terpinene. After soaking in terpinene at 60 °C for 90 min, the length elongation of the rubber sample reaches 1.55, which is much higher than that in naphthenic oil and is comparable to that in toluene. When adding 3 phr of terpinene for every 100 phr of waste rubber during the reclaiming process, the bond scissions exhibit high selectivity. After revulcanization, the reclaimed rubbers have a tensile strength of 17 MPa and a breaking elongation of 400%. Consequently, the application of terpinene as the swelling agent in the LTMD method can greatly improve the properties of reclaimed rubbers, thereby enhancing the dual value for the economy and environment.

Recycling of Rubber Wastes as Fuel and Its Additives

Economic, social, and urban developments generally require improvements in the transportation sector, which includes automobiles such as trucks, buses, trailers, airplanes, and even bicycles. All these vehicles use rubber tires. After consumption, these tires become waste, leading to enlarged landfill areas for used tires and implying additional harm to the environment. This review summarizes the growth of rubber recycling application and the sustainability of using waste rubber in the construction field. Furthermore, we provide methods to convert rubber waste to fuel or fuel additives by using tire-derived fuel and concentrate to pyrolysis, which are environmentally friendly and efficient ways. The related parameters such as temperature, pressure, and feedstock composition were studied. Most research papers observed that 500 °C is the optimal temperature at atmospheric pressure in the presence of a specific type of catalyst to improve pyrolysis rate, oil yield, and quality.

Evaluation of Properties and Mechanisms of Waste Plastic/Rubber-Modified Asphalt

Waste plastic, such as polyethylene (PE), and waste rubber tires, are pollutants that adversely affect the environment. Thus, the ways these materials are used are important in realizing the goals of reduced CO2 emissions and carbon neutrality. This paper investigates the fundamental properties, compatibility, and interaction mechanism of waste plastic/rubber-modified asphalt (WPRMA). Dynamic shear rheology, fluorescence microscopy, a differential scanning calorimeter, and molecular dynamic simulation software were used to evaluate the properties and mechanisms of WPRMA. The results show that the anti-rutting temperature of WPRMA with different waste plastic contents is higher than 60 °C and the optimal dosage of waste PE in WPRMA is 8%, which can enhance the high-temperature properties and compatibility of rubber-modified asphalt. The temperature can directly promote the melting and decomposition of the functional groups in WPRMA and thus must be strictly controlled during the mix production process. The interaction mechanism suggests that waste plastic can form networks and package the rubber particles in rubber-modified asphalt. The main force between waste plastic and rubber is Van der Waals force, which rarely occurs in chemical reactions.

Waste Rubber from End-of-Life Tires in ‘Lean’ Asphalt Mixtures—A Laboratory and Field Investigation in the Arid Climate Region

Waste rubber from end-of-life tires has been proved to be an excellent source of polymeric material for paving applications. Over the years, however, the rubberized asphalt technology has never been used in ‘lean’ (low bitumen content) asphalt mixtures typically used in arid regions. This study offers an insight on the potential benefits and drawbacks resulting from this technology if applied in such ‘lean’ mixes. Results show that the ‘lean’ nature of those asphalt mixes eliminates the potential benefits given by the modified bitumen for rutting performance. Instead, the aggregates gradation plays a major role in the response of the materials, with gap-graded mixtures often outperforming those with a dense-graded gradation. On the contrary, fatigue cracking resistance is affected by the bitumen properties, and rubberized asphalt perform better than others. The performance-based analysis suggests that the current specifications tend to overachieve the goal of reducing permanent deformation while cracking becomes a major concern which can be solved by using rubberized asphalt. In the field, gap-graded asphalt with rubberized bitumen showed the best response in terms of skid resistance and noise reduction.

Utilization of Bitumen, Aggregate and Wax with Rubber Tyre in a Flexible Pavement

With continuous wear and tear actions of rubber tyre on roads, a pile of waste rubber gets accumulated every year and it is posing severe threats to the environment. Due to high temperature in the summers, the road tends to become brittle, which may cause separation of binder in the bituminous road causing heavy cracks, so usage of wax tends to reduce the formation of cracks and improve the flexibility of road. This study aims to examine the effects on properties of the bitumen-aggregate mixture when the aggregates are partially replaced by similar sizes of waste rubber tyre particles and bitumen in the mix are partially replaced by a crumb waste rubber tyre, with partial addition of wax content in the bituminous samples. For this purpose of testing the suitability of using rubber waste in road pavement, Marshall Stability test is conducted on several bituminous mixtures. Varying percentages of rubber tyre, such as 0%, 5%, 10% and 15%, are used with different percentages of bitumen content (4.0, 4.2, 4.4, and 4.6), and varying percentages of paraffin wax (0-5%) is also added in the specimen with rubber and bitumen. This is utilized in obtaining the optimum content of bitumen required for best suitability of flexible pavement as well as to assess the durability and strength of a pavement. This study is performed on various mixtures, for the values of bulk density, air voids, stability value and flow value. The studies show that bitumen content corresponding to the maximum stability value and maximum bulk specific gravity in bituminous mixture, indicating the optimum bitumen percentage that can be replaced with crumb rubber tyre. This paper discusses the partial replacement of both aggregate and bitumen in the bituminous mixture, containing some percentages of paraffin, which can help in improving the serviceability level and assists in enhancing the flexibility and cohesion of road to resist heavy loadings of vehicle.

A Comparative Study between the Usages of Differently Sized Waste Rubber Obtained From Tires over the Strength Performance of Rigid Road Pavements

In this research work, waste rubber obtained from tires is mainly used as a fractional substitution of natural coarse aggregate to improve the strength aspects of the concrete. 3 dissimilar sizes of waste rubber obtained from tires aggregates were used that is of 4mm, 10 mm and 16 mm. Depending upon all three sizes all the waste rubber obtained from tires aggregate were used at 3 different percentages that are at 10 percent, 20 percent and 30 percent. Then several concrete samples were prepared depending upon the shape and percentage of the waste rubber obtained from tires aggregate. Then all these samples were cured and tested after 7 days and 28 days. Depending upon the results obtained after these above-discussed test various conclusions has been drawn which are as follows. It was found that the maximum strength was obtained at 20 percent usage of 4mm sized waste rubber obtained from tires aggregate, the strength obtained at 20 percentage with 4mm size was maximum as compared to all other concrete samples, so it can be concluded that the compressive strength depends upon both the size as well as on the percentage of waste rubber obtained from tires aggregate and with the decrease in size of the waste rubber obtained from tires aggregate the strength was increasing. From the test results of the split tensile strength test and flexural strength test, it was found that the maximum strength was obtained at 20 percent usage of 4mm sized waste rubber obtained from tires aggregate and with the increase in size and percentage the strength was declining. So therefore it can be concluded that both split tensile strength and flexural strength depends upon the size of waste rubber obtained from tires aggregate and the percentage of waste rubber obtained from tires aggregate. From the obtained test results it can be concluded that with the addition of the waste tire rubber the overall internal micro-structure of the concrete improves which further leads to enhanced mechanical strength of the concrete. This was due to the physical properties and the chemical composition of the waste tire rubber particles which fills the internal pores in a broader way and lead to improved mechanical strength.

Influence of Rubber Powder Modification Methods on the Mechanical and Durability Properties of Rubberized Magnesium Oxychloride Cement

In the present study, three modification methods, including water washing, sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and styrene–acrylic emulsion, were used to modify waste rubber powders. The influence of rubber powders on the mechanical properties and frost resistance of magnesium oxychloride cement was examined, and the different modification mechanisms were also analyzed. Based on the analysis of hydrophilic properties after modification, styrene–acrylic emulsion achieved the best modification effect, while water washing produced the least modification effect; regarding mechanical properties, magnesium oxychloride cement mixed with NaOH modified rubber powders achieved the best modification effect, in which the 28 d flexural strength and compressive strength increased by 41.2% and 59.6%, respectively. During the freeze-thaw cycles, the mass loss of specimens was reduced with an increase in the content of rubber powders. In addition, after 300 cycles, the relative dynamic modulus of elasticity of the blank sample was about 28.12%, while that of the magnesium oxychloride cement mixed with NaOH modified rubber powders was approximately 42.38%. In general, the properties of the modified rubber powder–magnesium oxychloride cement composite material can meet the requirements for engineering materials, which provides a theoretical basis and technical support for the application of rubberized magnesium oxychloride cement.