Introduction and Discussion of Asphalt Model

Problem Statement
Perception that asphalt cement has changed since the 1970s

Asphalt refineries have taken all of the goodies out of the asphalt!
Its not as sticky as it used to be!

Some asphalt cements have changed since the Arab oil embargo of the 1970s

New crude sources

Changed refinery processes to produce more gasoline and less asphalt

In summary, the SHRP Binder Characterization and Evaluation

Program addressed several major objectives:
Develop test methods that elucidate the basic chemical structure of asphalt cement.

Develop methods for testing fundamental physical properties that are related to in-
service pavement performance and that can be related to basic chemical structure.

. Develop a microstructural model that can be used to relate the physical and chemical
properties of asphalt cement.

Use the microstructural model to validate relationships between the chemical and
physical properties of asphalt cement.

Asphaltenes in Petroleum and Origin of Colloidal Model

A Colloidal system is one in which one phase is made up of particles having dimensions
of 1 to 1000 nm that are dispersed in another phase. Examples of colloids are smokes,
gels, emulsions, aerosols, and foams. When mixed together, the separate components of
a colloidal system will not form a colloid spontaneously without energy input; techniques
such as ultrasound.

1. It was observed that mixing oils with several volumes of normal alkane solvents
(propane, n-butane, n-pentane, n-hexane, n-heptane) resulted in the precipitation
of black, friable solids called asphaltenes.
2. These solids are relatively enriched in heteroatoms (nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur,
metals) and are more aromatic than their parent oils.
3. Asphaltenes are involatile, so they become concentrated in residual fractions.
 4. Asphaltenes may be dispersed in the crude oils by the action of resins.
5. The polar resin molecules may form micelles with asphaltene molecules.
6. Deasphaltened oils (known as petrolenes or maltenes) differ in properties from
7. whole crude oils;e.g, maltenes are much less viscous than whole crudes.
Therefore asphaltenes, which normally make up a few mass percentage of crudes,
are the principal viscosity-enhancing components.

Micellar Model for Asphalt

Micellar solutions are aggregates of amphipathic molecules (molecules having both

hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups).

Representation of peptized asphaltene micelles

What can cause Asphaltenes to precipitate?
Asphaltenes are typically stable under virgin reservoir condition, which are believed to be
held in solution by resins (similar structure and chemistry, but smaller). During
production, asphaltenes can be destabilized and precipitate due to changes in temperature,
pressure and the chemical composition of the crude.