Preparation and performance of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane surface modified layered double hydroxides on ultraviolet aging resistance of bitumen

•The hydrophilia of OLDHs was remarkably weakened compared with LDHs.•The compatibility and stability of OLDHs in bitumen have been observably heightened.•The improvement of OLDHs on the aging resistance of bitumen was superior to LDHs. 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane surface organic layered double hydroxides (OLDHs) was prepared and applied to improve the ultraviolet aging resistance of bitumen. X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS) showed that 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane has been chemically introduced on the surface of LDHs, which resulted in the decrease of hydroxide radical and the introduction of organic groups on the surface of LDHs. Compared with LDHs, the particle agglomeration of OLDHs obviously diminished, the hydrophilia of OLDHs has been decreased obviously, which was beneficial to improve the compatibility of OLDHs in bitumen. After ultraviolet aging, bitumen became hard and brittle, aromatic obviously decreased, and asphaltene observably increased, the physical and rheological properties of bitumen seriously deteriorated. The introduction of LDHs could inhibit the impact of ultraviolet aging on the performance, chemical structure and chemical constituents of bitumen, and improve the ultraviolet aging resistance of bitumen, the improvement of LDHs was further enhanced significantly after 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane surface organic modification.