Pigmentable Road Sealant Composition Without Asphalt Blackout
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Solution Overview
Problem
Asphalt-based sealants are opaque and difficult to pigment, creating visual contrast with underlying surfaces and interfering with sensor systems, necessitating a non-asphalt based, fully pigmentable sealant with comparable mechanical and water-resistant properties.
Innovation Solution
A sealant composition using rosin ester, processing oil, and elastomeric polymers, with titanium dioxide and pigments to neutralize and color the sealant, achieving adhesion and mechanical properties similar to asphalt-based compositions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If asphalt-based sealants are used, then water resistance and mechanical properties are achieved, but the sealant is opaque and difficult to pigment, creating visual contrast with underlying surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the problematic asphalt component from the sealant formulation while retaining the desired performance characteristics. By removing asphalt and replacing it with alternative polymers and additives, the sealant achieves both transparency for pigmentation and the necessary mechanical properties, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture (pigmentability) and illumination intensity (transparency).
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite materials by combining multiple components including polymers, plasticizers, fillers, and pigments in a formulated blend. This composite approach allows the sealant to achieve the desired balance of transparency, pigmentation capability, and mechanical performance that cannot be obtained with asphalt alone, effectively resolving the technical contradiction.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If asphalt-based sealants are used, then acceptable thermal performance is achieved, but the deep black color creates visual contrast and interferes with sensor systems
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes asphalt from the formulation, thereby eliminating the deep black color that causes visual contrast and sensor interference. The alternative polymer-based formulation maintains acceptable thermal performance while achieving the desired optical properties, resolving the contradiction between reducing harmful visual contrast and maintaining thermal performance.
3Ease of manufacture
If non-asphalt based materials are used, then pigmentability is improved, but mechanical properties and water resistance must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a composite formulation combining polymers, plasticizers, fillers, and pigments that together provide both excellent pigmentability and reliable water resistance. The synergistic interaction of these components ensures that the non-asphalt-based sealant maintains the necessary durability and water resistance while achieving full pigmentability, resolving the technical contradiction.
4Ease of manufacture
If non-asphalt based materials are used, then pigmentability is improved, but mechanical properties must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts asphalt from the formulation and replaces it with alternative polymer-based materials that provide comparable or superior mechanical properties. This substitution enables full pigmentability while maintaining the necessary strength and durability requirements for sealant applications, resolving the technical contradiction between ease of manufacture and mechanical properties.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composition provides a transparent or light-colored sealant that can be pigmented to match various surfaces, offering excellent adhesion and mechanical properties while being water-resistant.
Implementation Method 1
forming a sealant base blend having substantially no asphalt therein, the sealant base blend comprising (i) a rosin ester material, (ii) processing oil, and (iii) one or more plasticizers, the sealant base blend being formed at a sufficient temperature, and with agitation, stirring, and/or mixing, to melt the rosin ester material and incorporate the rosin ester material into the processing oil
Implementation Method 2
at least partially neutralizing a non-white shade or color of the sealant base blend, to produce an at least partially color-neutralized base blend, by adding one or more color-neutralizing materials to the sealant base blend, the one or more color-neutralizing materials comprising titanium dioxide
Data Source
AI summary
A fully pigmentable, non-asphalt based, sealant composition for sealing cracks and joints in roads, streets, highways, sidewalks, pavements, and other concrete and asphalt surfaces. The pigmentable sealant is produced by (i) forming a non-asphalt base blend which contains a high concentration of a rosin ester material, (ii) neutralizing the color of the base blend using one or more color neutralizing materials, (iii) pigmenting the color-neutralized base blend to a desired final color, and (iv) adding one or more polymers to the pigmented blend to provide enhanced mechanical properties.