Chemical and physical properties of poly (lactic) acid modified bitumen

Abstract This study investigates the feasibility and effect of poly(lactic) acid (PLA) on bitumen modification. The chemical and physical properties were evaluated for the modified bitumen produced with varying percentages of PLA ranging from 3 to 9%. Several testings such as the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Gel permeation chromatography (GPC), penetration, softening and ductility, and thermal storage stability were evaluated. The results show that chemical interaction exists between PLA and bitumen. The GPC analysis indicates high compatibility of the bitumen with the PLA modifier. Moreover, the results indicated that the addition of PLA increased the consistency of modified bitumen. The storage stability and segregation of phases were positively affected in the PLA modified bitumen. The PLA and base bitumen interact at physical and chemical levels which results in enhancement of performance of modified bitumen to produce a high-quality binding material for pavement construction.