Work

Investigation of synergistic modification mechanisms of cotton stalk fiber/nano-calcium carbonate composite modified asphalt

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: In recent years, China's frequent summer high-temperature records pose serious challenges to highway construction, management, and maintenance. To comprehensively enhance asphalt road performance, cotton straw fiber and nano-calcium carbonate were used as composite additives to modify matrix asphalt, preparing cotton straw fiber/nano-calcium carbonate composite modified asphalt. Through aging experiments, DSR, BBR tests, and micro-morphological analyses via SEM, AFM, and infrared spectroscopy, its properties and modification mechanism were studied. Results show that the composite modified asphalt outperforms nano-calcium carbonate modified asphalt in anti-aging ability, with the most prominent high-temperature anti-rutting performance. While its improvement on low-temperature performance isn’t significant, microstructure diagrams reveal excellent oil absorption, dispersion, and thermal stability, forming a stable three-dimensional network. Compared to single modified asphalt, its roughness parameters (Rq and Ra) are reduced by 94.4% and 96.4%, confirming microstructure changes. Spectral analysis indicates physical dispersion and interfacial compatibility dominate, with weak chemical reaction evidence.

Source: Environmental Technology & Innovation

DOI: 10.1016/j.eti.2026.104823