System and Method for Pre-Treatment of Rubber-Modified Asphalt Cement, and Emulsions Thereof

Abstract

This invention encompasses asphalt cement emulsions, as well as methods for preparing a pre-treated rubber-modified asphalt cement emulsions and methods for coating industrial surfaces using asphalt cement emulsions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An asphalt cement emulsion composition, comprising:
 i) a rubber-modified asphalt cement;   ii) an emulsifier, comprising a diamine compound; and   iii) an aqueous emulsification solution, comprising clay.   
     
     
         2 . The emulsion composition of  claim 1 , wherein the clay is a hydrophobic clay. 
     
     
         3 . The emulsion composition of  claim 1 , wherein the clay is sepiolite clay. 
     
     
         4 . The emulsion composition of  claim 1 , wherein the rubber-modified asphalt cement comprises one or more additives, comprising a thickener, an anti-foam agent, a polymer latex, a sulfonic acid, or a surfactant. 
     
     
         5 . The emulsion composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises from about 0.01 to 25 wt. % of the rubber-modified asphalt cement. 
     
     
         6 . The emulsion composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises from about 9 to 13 wt. % of rubber, relative to the total wt. % of the rubber-modified asphalt cement. 
     
     
         7 . The emulsion composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises one or more emulsifiers. 
     
     
         8 . The emulsion composition of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more emulsifiers comprises one or more amine-containing compounds. 
     
     
         9 . The emulsion composition of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more amine-containing compounds comprises a monoamine compound. 
     
     
         10 . The emulsion composition of  claim 9 , wherein the monoamine compound comprises an amine oxyalkylate compound. 
     
     
         11 . The emulsion composition of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more emulsifiers comprises one or more aromatic hydrocarbon compounds. 
     
     
         12 . The emulsion composition of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more emulsifiers comprises a carboxylic acid. 
     
     
         13 . The emulsion composition of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more emulsifiers comprises a tall oil compound or derivative. 
     
     
         14 . The emulsion composition of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more emulsifiers comprises at least one of the following, relative to the total weight of the emulsion composition:
 i) from about 30 to 50 wt. % of the diamine compound;   ii) from about 20 to 40 wt. % of an amine oxyalkylate compound;   iii) from about 15 to 25 wt. % of a carboxylic acid compound;   iv) from about 5 to 10 wt. % of one or more aromatic hydrocarbon compounds; and   v) from about 5 to 10 wt. % of a tall oil compound.   
     
     
         15 . The emulsion composition of  claim 1 , wherein the aqueous emulsification solution comprises one or more surfactants. 
     
     
         16 . The emulsion composition of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more surfactants comprises a non-ionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, or an anionic surfactant. 
     
     
         17 . The emulsion composition of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more surfactants comprises a surfactant that includes dodedcyl benzenesulfonic acid. 
     
     
         18 . The emulsion composition of  claim 16 , wherein the non-ionic surfactant comprises ethylhexanol. 
     
     
         19 . The emulsion composition of  claim 1 , wherein less than about 0.5 wt. % of the emulsion composition, relative to the total weight of the emulsion composition, remains on a 850-um mesh sieve following contact of the sieve with the emulsion composition during the Sieve Emulsion Test. 
     
     
         20 . The emulsion composition of  claim 1 , wherein the emulsion composition is prepared by:
 a) preparing a pre-treatment mixture, comprising:
 i) a rubber-modified asphalt cement; and 
 ii) one or more emulsifiers, comprising a diamine compound; 
   b) preparing an aqueous emulsification solution comprising clay; and   c) contacting the prepared pre-treatment mixture with the prepared aqueous emulsification solution.