Process for the preparation of crumb rubber/asphalt blends

摘要

A method for preparing a homogeneous blend of asphalt and ground tire rubber. An asphalt base material is heated to a temperature sufficient to permit the stirring of the asphalt base material within a mixing vessel. A particulate crumb rubber component having a designated average particle size is added to the asphalt base material. The crumb rubber material can be partially devulcanized or partially depolymerized and may be accompanied by the incorporation of another rubber component, such as a ground styrene butadiene rubber. Zinc oxide is added to the asphalt base material. The mixture incorporating the zinc oxide is stirred for a period sufficient to provide for substantial solubilization of the crumb rubber within the asphalt base material to provide a blend which has a higher homogeneity than a corresponding blend of the same asphalt and particulate rubber components which is heated and stirred under the identical conditions, but without the addition of the zinc oxide.