Paving binders and manufacturing methods

Abstract

Solid, low-cost paving binder prepared by admixing sulfur, paving grade asphalt (AC) asphalt, and a siliceous filler such as fly ash and silica material, and solidifying the product into preferably flaked, pellet or pastille forms. Carbon black is another possible ingredient of the paving binder. The solid paving binder has non-sick non-flow properties within a wide range of ambient temperatures, and it can be stored solid for subsequent use in paving applications. Properties such as the color, radiation-resistance, and odor of the paving binder can be controlled in the manufacturing process.

1 . A paving binder, comprising: a) a fine mineral constituent which comprises ceramic clay; b) a hydrocarbon-based plasticizer which comprises AC asphalt; and c) sulfur in a weight percentage of at least about 60%, wherein said fine mineral constituent, said hydrocarbon-based plasticizer and said sulfur are comprised in a homogeneous single phase in the paving binder.  
     
     
         2 . A paving binder as recited in  claim 1  wherein said fine mineral constituent further comprises at least one of fly ash and silica material.  
     
     
         3 . A paving binder as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said fine mineral constituent is sized as to pass through a 200 mesh sieve.  
     
     
         4 . A paving binder as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said hydrocarbon-based plasticizer comprises at least one AC asphalt, and at least one of tall oil pitch, cyclic saturated hydrocarbon, cyclic unsaturated hydrocarbon, polycyclic saturated hydrocarbon, polycyclic unsaturated hydrocarbon, tar, and mixtures thereof, wherein said at least one AC asphalt substance is a majority component in said plasticizer.  
     
     
         5 . A paving binder as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said hydrocarbon-based plasticizer comprises at least one an AC asphalt, and at least one of furan, dihydrofuran, furfural, 3-(2-furyl) acrolein, and mixtures thereof, wherein said at least one an AC asphalt is a majority component in said plasticizer.  
     
     
         6 . A paving binder as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said hydrocarbon-based plasticizer comprises an AC asphalt, and at least one of an aliphatic substance, an olefinic substance, an aromatic substance, and mixtures thereof, wherein said AC asphalt is a majority component in said plasticizer.  
     
     
         7 . A paving binder, comprising: a) a fine mineral constituent that comprises ceramic clay, wherein said fine mineral constituent is sized as to pass through a 200 mesh sieve; b) a hydrocarbon-based plasticizer which comprises AC asphalt, wherein said hydrocarbon-based plasticizer is present in a weight percentage amount within the range from about 1% to about 30%; and c) sulfur in a weight percentage amount in the range from about 60% to about 98%, wherein said fine mineral constituent, said hydrocarbon-based plasticizer and said sulfur are comprised in a homogeneous single phase in the paving binder.  
     
     
         8 . A paving binder as recited in  claim 7  wherein said fine mineral constituent further comprises at least one of fly ash and silica material.  
     
     
         9 . A paving binder as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said fine mineral constituent is present in a weight percentage amount within the range from about 1% to about 33%.  
     
     
         10 . A paving binder, comprising: a) a fine mineral constituent comprising ceramic clay, wherein said fine mineral constituent is sized as to pass through a 200 mesh sieve; b) a hydrocarbon-based plasticizer which comprises AC asphalt, wherein said hydrocarbon-based plasticizer is present in a weight percentage amount within the range from about 2.5% to about 20%; and c) sulfur in a weight percentage amount in the range from about 70% to about 90%, wherein said fine mineral constituent, said hydrocarbon-based plasticizer and said sulfur are comprised in a homogeneous single phase in the paving binder.  
     
     
         11 . A paving binder as recited in  claim 10  wherein said fine mineral constituent further comprises at least one of fly ash and silica material.  
     
     
         12 . A paving binder as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said fine mineral constituent is present in a weight percentage amount within the range from about 2.5% to about 20%.  
     
     
         13 . A paving binder, comprising: a) a fine mineral constituent comprising ceramic clay, wherein said fine mineral constituent is sized as to pass through a 200 mesh sieve; b) a hydrocarbon-based plasticizer which comprises AC asphalt, wherein said hydrocarbon-based plasticizer is present in a weight percentage amount within the range from about 5% to about 12%; and c) sulfur in a weight percentage amount in the range from about 75% to about 90%, wherein said fine mineral constituent, said hydrocarbon-based plasticizer and said sulfur are comprised in a homogeneous single phase in the paving binder.  
     
     
         14 . A paving binder as recited in  claim 13  wherein said fine mineral constituent further comprises at least one of fly ash and silica material.  
     
     
         15 . A paving binder as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said fine mineral constituent is present in a weight percentage amount within the range from about 5% to about 12%.  
     
     
         16 . A method for manufacturing paving binder, comprising: a) providing ingredients that comprise liquid sulfur, liquid hydrocarbon-based plasticizer, and a fine mineral constituent, wherein said fine mineral constituent comprises ceramic clay; b) mixing said ingredients in controlled amounts, such that the weight percentage of sulfur mixed is at least about 60% with respect to all the ingredients in the mixture, so that said mixing provides a homogeneous single phase mixture of said ingredients; and c) cooling said mixture so that it becomes a solid.  
     
     
         17 . A method as recited in  claim 16  wherein said fine mineral constituent further comprises at least one of fly ash and silica material.  
     
     
         18 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising comminuting said solid into slates.  
     
     
         19 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising comminuting said solid into chips.  
     
     
         20 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising pastilling said mixture into solid pastilles.  
     
     
         21 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising pelletizing said mixture into solid pellets.  
     
     
         22 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said mixing comprises the mixing of said ingredients together in the same mixing vessel.  
     
     
         23 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said mixing comprises the mixing of said liquid hydrocarbon-based plasticizer with said fine mineral constituent to form a mastic material, and the mixing of said mastic material with said liquid sulfur to form said mixture.  
     
     
         24 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said mixing comprises the wetting of said fine mineral constituent and the subsequent mixing with said liquid hydrocarbon-based plasticizer to form a mastic material, and the mixing of said mastic material with said liquid sulfur to form said mixture.  
     
     
         25 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising preplasticizing said liquid sulfur.  
     
     
         26 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising preplasticizing said liquid hydrocarbon-based plasticizer.