Chemical-Physical Interactions in Bitumen: Towards Environmentally Sustainable Road Materials

Bitumen is a construction material used for decades, primarily as a binder in asphalt for road paving. Nevertheless, there is still a need to design more durable and safer road surfaces. The main aspects that lead to better durability include improving bitumen or overall asphalt properties, as well as developing new types of asphalt materials. Currently, the modification of neat bitumen is the main approach for improving the overall performance of road pavement, normally using various modifiers and additives to alter the properties. In addition, environmental issues need to be considered. Indeed, recent legislative proposals in terms of environmental protection address the reduction of greenhouse gases and a transition to a regenerative circular economy. This implies the shift to closed cycles of materials/processes minimizing input of resources and output of wastes, refuses and/or emissions. Therefore, a specific focus is on environmentally sustainable solutions that apply green chemistry principles. An integral part of this Research Topic is the study of the interactions between bitumen and different additives, above all from a chemical-physics point of view. Historically, bitumen has always been a subject of exclusive engineering study. At present, however, progress in the various scientific fields of research has highlighted that only strong interdisciplinarity can lead to the development of new sustainable and innovative materials.

This research topic aims to be the meeting point between the engineering study of bituminous materials and the chemical-physical study of the same. There is no doubt that only a design supported by a strong basis of possible chemical interactions can lead to the creation of highly performing materials from a mechanical point of view. We welcome articles that shed light on the interaction mechanisms between the various components of bitumen and the function groups of proposed additives, including the use of Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Molecular Dynamics (MD) for a complementary theoretical understanding. An in-depth knowledge of these interaction mechanisms will be extremely useful in the design of both new additives and new functional materials in general.

To gather further insights into the physicochemical aspects of bitumen modifications for sustainability purposes, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Fundamental Chemical-Physical interaction between bitumen components and chemical additives
- Chemical-physical characterization and advanced analysis of bitumen-containing materials
- Self-assembling and/or colloidal systems created between novel additives for bitumen
- Structure-property studies that compare chemical structure with mechanical characteristics
- Computational studies (DFT, MD) of bitumen-containing systems

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Mini Review
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Mini Review
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review

Keywords: bitumen, sustainability, chemical structure, colloidal systems, chemical-physical characterization

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.