SBIR Phase I: Polyacrylated Glycerol (PAG) Polymers in Asphalt Maintenance Applications

该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是将一种新型的、可再生资源衍生的聚合物--聚丙烯酸酯甘油(PAG)引入沥青路面养护行业。该项目将展示PAG的性能和效率，以提高普通沥青养护应用的性能和预期寿命。如果成功，该项目将创造一条途径，满足对甘油的新需求，甘油是生物柴油行业的重要副产品。此外，它将创造一种具有大量可再生成分的绿色产品来取代每年高达50,000吨石油衍生聚合物的潜力。这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目将探索PAG弹性体在沥青路面养护应用中作为粘合促进剂、密封剂、底漆和沥青添加剂的潜力。一系列实验室生产的PAG聚合物具有不同的分子量、平均丙烯酸官能度和残留的丙烯酸共聚单体含量，将通过一系列基于实验室的测试来探索，这些测试旨在表征使用PAG聚合物改性的沥青底漆、封闭层、粘结层、微表处和碎屑封口的性能。此外，该第一阶段项目将探索将PAG聚合物的制造从实验室规模扩大到中试规模的潜力。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to introduce a novel and renewably resource-derived polymer, Polyacrylated Glycerol (PAG), to the asphalt road maintenance industry. The project will demonstrate the performance and efficiency of PAG to improve the performance and life expectancy of common asphalt maintenance applications. If successful, this project will create a pathway to new demand for glycerol, a significant byproduct of the bio-diesel industry. Furthermore, it will create the potential to replace up to 50,000 tons per year of petroleum-derived polymers with a green product having significant renewable content. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 project will explore the potential for PAG elastomers to perform as adhesion promoters, sealants, primers, and asphalt additives in asphalt roadway maintenance applications. A series of laboratory produced PAG polymers with variations in molecular weight, average acrylic functionality, and residual acrylic acid comonomer content will be explored using a series of laboratory-based tests designed to characterize performance of asphalt primers, seal coats, tack coats, micro surfacing, and chip seals modified with the PAG polymers. In addition, this Phase 1 project will explore the potential to scale-up the manufacturing of the PAG polymer from a laboratory scale to pilot scale.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.