Study on the Performance and Modification Mechanism of Polyphosphoric Acid (PPA)/Styrene–Butadiene–Styrene (SBS) Composite Modified Asphalt

In order to address the high preparation cost of styrene–butadiene–styrene block copolymer (SBS) modified asphalt, four kinds of polyphosphoric acid (PPA) content (0%, 0.5%, 0.75%, and 1% PPA by weight of the matrix asphalt) were selected to prepare composite modified asphalt with better high-temperature performance. The physical properties of composite modified asphalt were evaluated by conventional performance tests. The rheological properties of composite modified asphalt were evaluated by dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) test and bending beam rheometer (BBR) test. The synergistic modification mechanism of PPA and SBS was revealed by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy test. The results show that with the increase of PPA content, the penetration of PPA/SBS composite modified asphalt is reduced by 20.92%, 25.07% and 28.94%, respectively, compared with matrix asphalt, and the softening point is increased by 5.46%, 22.69% and 34.03%, respectively. In addition, PPA can improve the thermal oxidative aging resistance of asphalt. PPA can improve the shear resistance, high-temperature performance and temperature sensitivity of asphalt. At 82 °C, compared with SBS modified asphalt, the phase angle of PPA/SBS composite modified asphalt can be decreased by 8.63%, 13.23% and 19.24%, respectively, and G*/sinδ can be increased by 41.97%, 67.62% and 70.97%, respectively. SBS mainly exists in asphalt in the form of physical blending, and PPA has a new chemical reaction with asphalt, which increases the macromolecules and chain hydrocarbon components in asphalt, and the macroscopic performance is the improvement of high-temperature performance of asphalt. However, PPA has a negative effect on the low-temperature performance of the SBS modified asphalt.