APPLICATION AND USE OF THE ATR, FT-IR METHOD TO ASPHALT AGING STUDIES

Infrared analysis is an extremely valuable tool for investigating the chemical functionality of asphalts. The attenuated total reflection (ATR) FT-IR method is especially useful for the study of this intractable material. Quick and easy sample preparation, natural state analysis, and clean and reproducible spectra are advantages of the ATR method over conventional transmission methods. Comparisons of this procedure to potassium bromide pellet and solution methods support the method's use. Asphalt oxidative and solvent aging studies employed the ATR method to track hardening of asphalt in various solvents as indicated by increased carbonyl absorbances. Also. standard laboratory tests for simulating the hot-mix aging of asphalts, compared using this method as well as other chemical and physical properties, sbow significant differences from actual hot-mix aging