Evonik Uses Scrap Tires to Make Modern Construction Material

Evonik has come up with a highly cost-effective material sourced from scrap tires that can be used for road construction.

The company has developed a process to incorporate rubber content into asphalt by using Vestenamer, its process additive for the rubber industry. The source material is rubber powder from scrap tires.

By mixing the recycled material is mixed into road construction bitumen or asphalt, it is possible to improve the quality of the mixtures and to increase the service life of road surfaces.

The rubber powder is used commonly in porous asphalt. Porous asphalt is also known as low-noise asphalt, and it significantly cuts down on traffic noise.

The use of asphalt containing rubber instead of conventional polymer-modified asphalt can significantly reduce emissions of volatile and semi-volatile compounds, like hydrocarbons and sulfur compounds.

The use of Evonik’s process additive also reduces the migration of organic compounds which are leached out of road surface when it rains. These compounds then enter the groundwater supplies due to surface runoff.

Frank Lindner, Senior Business Manager for Vestenamer, said: “The market for elastomer-modified, i.e. rubber-containing, road surfaces have been growing in Europe over the past years. The positive properties are obvious since the material significantly reduces cracking, ruts and potholes in the road surface, which in turn extends road service life.”