Solar Responsive Asphalt for Sustainable and Environmental Friendly Pavements

美国有超过564万英里的道路是用沥青建造的。沥青的黑色会使道路在夏天变得不舒服，因为它吸收了大量的太阳能。 相关的热量和气味会导致城市热岛效应，并对道路使用者（驾驶员、骑自行车的人、行人）的健康产生负面影响。 高的路面温度也会降低路面寿命，因为沥青粘合剂会渗出，加速路面车辙。 该项目将研究创新的太阳能响应热变色沥青，以管理路面的热负荷。 这种新材料在高温下具有高太阳辐射，在低温下具有高太阳吸收率。 因此，它将使道路在夏季凉爽，冬季温暖。 这两方面都将提高沥青路面的耐久性。 这项研究可以通过促进寿命和环境友好性，将当前的铺路行业引入可持续实践。它将通过量身定制的课程和研究计划来培训本科生和研究生，以提高年轻研究人员的跨学科能力。 本研究的目的是了解科学的原则，使有效的设计，生产和评估的多功能热变色沥青。在材料设计方面，研究活动的目的是制定和实施一个性能驱动的设计矩阵，通过理解的微观相互作用，确定热致变色沥青的多功能特性。在材料加工方面，活动旨在了解加工条件对沥青粘合剂和热致变色粉末之间微观相互作用的影响。 这将决定工厂生产的不可扩展性。 3)在性能评价方面，对热变色沥青的多功能性能进行评价，并将其纳入寿命周期成本效益分析。 该研究项目将推进当前结构材料的设计理念，从主要的机械焦点到多功能设计矩阵。 这项研究的创新将提供一种持久和环保的建筑材料。 知识发现的过程也将扩大目前的知识，光学和热的复合材料的相互作用。

Over 5.64 million miles of the U.S. roads are built with asphalt. The black color of asphalt can make the road unpleasantly hot during summer due to its large solar absorption. The associated heat and smell contribute to urban heat island effects and negatively impacts the health of road users (drivers, bikers, pedestrians). The high road temperature also reduces pavement life due to bleeding of asphalt binder and accelerated pavement rutting. This project will study innovative solar responsive thermochromic asphalt to manage the thermal loads to pavements. This new material will feature high solar radiation at high temperature and high solar absorbance at low temperature. Therefore, it will make the road cooler during summer and warmer during winter. Both aspects will improve the durability of asphalt roads. This research could lead the current paving industry into a sustainable practice by promoting longevity and environmental friendliness. It will train undergraduate and graduate students through a tailored curriculum and research program that increases the interdisciplinary competencies of young researchers. The objective of this research is to understand the scientific principles enabling effective design, production and assessment of multifunctional thermochromic asphalt. In the material design aspects, research activities aim to formulate and implement a performance-driven design matrix by understanding the microscopic interactions that determine the multifunctional properties of thermochromic asphalt. In the material processing aspects, the activities aim to understand the effects of processing conditions on the microscopic interactions between asphalt binder and thermochromic powders. This will determine the unscalability for plant production. 3) In the performance assessment aspect, it aims to assess the multifunctional performance of thermochromic asphalt and include into life cycle cost benefits analyses. This research project will advance the current design philosophy of structural materials from a primarily mechanical focus to a multifunctional design matrix. The innovation from this research will provide a long lasting and environmental friendly construction material. The process of knowledge discovery will also expand the current knowledge on optical and thermal interactions of composite materials.