New asphalt binder alternative is less toxic, more sustainable than conventional blend
September 18, 2023 – September Asphalt is primarily known for use in roadways, but it’s also used to pave playgrounds, bicycle paths, running tracks and tennis and basketball courts. Outdoor use on driveways, rooftops and parking lots, especially in the sun, also can lead to toxic fume exposure.
A team from Arizona State University, led by Associate Professor Ellie Fini in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment (SSEBE), has developed AirDuo, a new, asphalt binder that not only diminishes toxic fumes of the overall asphalt-surfaced area. According to Arizona State University, the material not only reduces toxic fumes from the asphalt, but also increases its durability.
Asphalt binder is the glue that holds together the stones, sand, gravel and other aggregates in asphalt pavements. The AirDuo binding mixture is composed of low-carbon, bio-based materials that are an alternative to more toxic petroleum products, also known as bitumen. Moreover, AirDuo acts as a toxicity filter for the overall product.
A patent has now been applied for for the drug.
