Publication
Title
Application of Atomic Force (AFM), Environmental Scanning Electron (ESEM) and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) in bitumen : a review of the ageing effect
Author
Abstract
Undoubtedly bitumen’s viscoelastic performance has received much attention in the literature. Especially, the oxidative ageing phenomenon of bitumen has been studied by several scholars from different physicochemical and mechanical perspectives due to its direct impact on asphalt performance. The microstructural patterns observed with ageing utilising different microscopic techniques have not remained unexplored, and an increasing interest has been expressed to understand the bitumen’s architecture by coupling it with different theories. This review aims to provide a useful guide for the road engineer by collecting all the existing microstructural trends that have been reported upon ageing by utilising some of the most promising microscopic techniques. The study demonstrates the changes being observed for the size of the so-called bee structures via Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The apparent fibril microstructure captured with Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM) consistently reported in the literature to become denser and coarser with ageing. The existing findings of Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) revealed the conflicting observations that exist for the fluorescent centres of bitumen upon oxidation, concerning their size and number. Finally, this paper provides a comparative analysis of the three techniques for bitumen applications and recommends a systematic sample preparation protocol to move towards more consistent observations between the different research groups.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Micron. - Oxford, 1993, currens
Publication
Oxford : Pergamon , 2021
ISSN
0968-4328 [print]
1878-4291 [online]
DOI
10.1016/J.MICRON.2021.103083
Volume/pages
147 (2021) , 16 p.
Article Reference
103083
ISI
000659905900002
Pubmed ID
34049208
Medium
E-only publicatie
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
AQ²UABIT – Advanced Qualitative and QUantitative surface Analysis of BITuminous binders using laser scanning confocal microscopy.
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 21.05.2021
Last edited 17.12.2024
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