Rubber modification of asphalt & bitumen with ROAD+ PREMIXED

AN ADVANCED PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT FOR EASY USE
Genan offers rubber modifiers for several purposes. GENAN ROAD+ PREMIXED, an elastomeric bitumen and asphalt modifier, and GENAN RUBBER+ PREMIXED, a rubber modifier for other industrial purposes. Both products are manufactured in compliance with a process patented by Evonik. Ingredients are high-quality rubber powder produced by Genan mixed with 4.3% Vestenamer®, a semicrystalline polyoctenamer produced by Evonik.

Both GENAN ROAD+ PREMIXED and GENAN RUBBER+ PREMIXED are refined development of Genan’s original two-component modifier called ROAD+.
The original ROAD+ was two-component in the sense that it consisted of Genan rubber powder and Vestenamer® – delivered in separate packaging for the asphalt/bitumen supplier to mix at the refinery/ bitumen blending facility (wet processing) or directly in the mixing plant (dry processing).

GENAN ROAD+ PREMIXED and GENAN RUBBER+ PREMIXED are one-component modifiers. High-quality rubber powder from recycled tyres has already been mixed with Vestenamer® pellets and thermically and mechanically dispersed into a uniform, easy-to-handle modifier, simplifying the mixing process for the asphalt/bitumen supplier as well as the rubber compound mixer.

CONSISTENT QUALITY IS KEY FOR PRODUCT PERFORMANCE
It is of great importance for product performance that the rubber powder used is clean and uniform in size. Being the world’s largest manufacturer of rubber powder from end-of-life tyres, Genan has the technology to live up to these requirements. Genan rubber powder is not only consistent in size – but also virtually dust-free.

Read more about GENAN ROAD+ PREMIXED and GENAN RUBBER+ PREMIXED further down this page.

Being a one-component modifier, GENAN ROAD+ PREMIXED is an easy-to-handle modifier, simplifying the mixing process for the asphalt/bitumen supplier. GENAN ROAD+ PREMIXED is thus far easier and less time-consuming to work with than the original, two-component ROAD+ product.

Laboratory tests and field experience both show that as a rule of thumb, a standard bitumen modified with 10% ROAD+ performs on the same level as or even better than a similar 4% SBS-modified bitumen. When comparing properties, e.g. the ability to prevent rutting and cracking, ROAD+ performs significantly better.

As GENAN ROAD+ PREMIXED is a manufacturer-premixed version of ROAD+, properties are the exact same; and test results and field experience for ROAD+ modified asphalt/bitumen thus apply to GENAN ROAD+ PREMIXED as well. GENAN ROAD+ PREMIXED is just far easier to work with.

Across the world, local and national authorities now realize that it is good business to use modified asphalt for new road projects. The product is cost-efficient in the medium and long term because rubber-modified roads are less exposed to rutting and cracking. Better durability reduces the need for maintenance, which is not only a financial burden, but also a traffic-related problem, as roads must be partly closed to traffic during road works.

Asphalt and bitumen modification is becoming increasingly popular. In several European countries, more than 20% of all bitumen used in road construction is now modified. Follow the link below to download statistics published by the European Asphalt Pavement Association.

In the past, the most common way to modify bitumen in road construction was to use virgin SBS rubber (styrene-butadiene-styrene). Genan ROAD+, a third-generation asphalt and bitumen modifier, was a major breakthrough. ROAD+ is made of recycled coarse rubber powder from end-of-life tires (ELT). In terms of performance and properties, ROAD+ is equivalent or superior to SBS modifiers. ROAD+ also has significant environmental benefits. Even at its launch, it was believed that, if a product based on ELT rubber powder could gain ground in the market for asphalt and bitumen, the environmental benefits would be substantial. Compared to co-incineration, an ELT-based product reduces greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel consumption. For further information about the environmental benefits, see the Genan Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Study.

NOISE REDUCTION

A recent study prepared by the WHO (World Health Organization) Regional Office for Europe quantifies health risks related to exposure to noise.

The study shows that in Western Europe, the equivalent of one million healthy life years are lost every year due to traffic-related noise. In Europe, noise pollution is therefore an environmental risk factor, the scope of which is comparable to air pollution. Not only does exposure to noise cause or contribute to discomfort, stress and sleep disturbance, it may also lead to high blood pressure, heart attacks, learning disabilities and tinnitus.

Tests prove that the use of ROAD+-modified asphalt reduces noise by as much as to 5-6 dB compared to conventional asphalt. As a reduction of just 3 dB (A) is perceived by the human ear as comparable to half the original traffic load, this constitutes an appreciable noise reduction.

NO COMPARISON WITH PREVIOUS RUBBER ASPHALTS
Rubber in asphalt is not a new phenomenon. The concept has been tested on previous occasions – with varying degrees of success. Nevertheless, the benefits of using ROAD+ – and now the improved GENAN ROAD+ PREMIXED product – are far greater than those of earlier generations of rubber asphalt. The addition of Vestenamer® in compliance with the Evonik patent makes a world of difference.

Earlier generations of rubber asphalt were sticky and required special handling equipment. Asphalt modified with GENAN ROAD+ PREMIXED boasts extremely good adhesion to the aggregate – but does not stick to tools or tanks. There is no need to clean tanks and trucks with release agents. No special equipment is required for on-site handling of asphalt modified with GENAN ROAD+ PREMIXED.

It is of great importance for product performance that the rubber powder used is clean and uniform in size. Being a homogenous mix, GENAN RUBBER+ PREMIXED secures both easy handling and a reliable outcome. Furthermore, this rubber-modifier is less sensitive to temperature and thus providing more flexibility to the work environment.

As the world’s largest manufacturer of rubber powder from end-of-life tyres, Genan has the technology to live up to these requirements. Genan ambient rubber powder is not only consistent in size – but also virtually dust-free.

LOWER CARBON FOOTPRINTS WITH RECYCLED MATERIALS

Another significant advantages of using GENAN RUBBER+ PREMIXED is a reduction in carbon footprint emissions. By using recycled rubber from worn-out tyres, GENAN RUBBER+ PREMIXED reduces the need for new rubber production and secures new life for a discarded material.

GENAN RUBBER+ PREMIXED is thus a more sustainable alternative that preserves natural resources and reduces the impact on our environment – all without compromising performance and durability.

Discover the endless possibilities of GENAN RUBBER+ PREMIXED and incorporate sustainability without sacrificing quality or functionality. The only limit is your imagination…

WHERE TO USE GENAN RUBBER+ PREMIXED

GENAN RUBBER+ PREMIXED can substitute virgin rubber – both natural as well as synthetic – and with it form part as a high-value secondary raw material. This enables GENAN RUBBER+ PREMIXED to replace Carbon Black as an active filler or to be included in a variety of industrial products and molded rubber goods.

Applications such as conveyor belts, compounds and bumpers or products for the automotive industry can benefit from the many advantages in this rubber-modifier. GENAN RUBBER+ PREMIXED also has the ability to integrate with polymers and other rubber products – both natural and synthetic.

RUBBER MODIFIER

A HIGH-QUALITY ELASTOMER MODIFIER FOR BITUMEN, ASPHALT AND RUBBER

GENAN ROAD+ PREMIXED

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WHY MODIFY ASPHALT AND BITUMEN?

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WHERE TO USE GENAN ROAD+ PREMIXED

“ROAD+ modified asphalt improves the performance of all types of roads from smaller country roads over heavily trafficked motorways to industrial properties. The use of the ROAD+ system for all these different applications shows the full scale of its elevated technical properties.”

MIGRATION

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EMISSIONS

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RECYCLABILITY

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GREENHOUSE GAS SAVINGS

NOISE REDUCTION

FLEXIBILITY IN THE FIELD

SUITABLE FOR BOTH WET AND DRY PROCESSING

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GENAN RUBBER+ PREMIXED

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SUBSTITUTE VIRGIN RUBBER WITH GENAN RUBBER+ PREMIXED

LOWER CARBON FOOTPRINTS WITH RECYCLED MATERIALS

WHERE TO USE GENAN RUBBER+ PREMIXED

Granulate

Color-coated granulate

Powder

Rubber modifier

Pellets

Steel

Textile