The Effectiveness of Liquid PUD-TiO<sub>2</sub> Photocatalyst on Asphalt Pavement

Harmful nitrogen oxides (NO<sub>X</sub>) are produced by vehicles, factories, mines, and power plants. In fact, over one million tons of NO<sub>X</sub> are emitted into the atmosphere every year, making it the most prevalent air pollutant. Approximately 45% of the emitted NO&...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Dae-Seong Jang, Sang-Hoon Kim, Young Kim, Jae-Jun Lee, Deok-Soon An
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-12-01
Series:Materials
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/24/7805
Description
Summary:Harmful nitrogen oxides (NO<sub>X</sub>) are produced by vehicles, factories, mines, and power plants. In fact, over one million tons of NO<sub>X</sub> are emitted into the atmosphere every year, making it the most prevalent air pollutant. Approximately 45% of the emitted NO<sub>X</sub> in Korea is associated with the transportation sector. In this paper, the application of a new TiO<sub>2</sub> photocatalyst on the asphalt roads to remove combustion-produced NO<sub>X</sub> was studied. In an effort to overcome the known constructability, adhesion, cost, and dispersion problems associated with TiO<sub>2</sub> photocatalysts, the liquid polyurethane (PUD) was added with TiO<sub>2</sub> to form a mixture later known as liquid PUD-TiO<sub>2</sub>. Laboratory and field tests were conducted to determine the optimum amount of photocatalyst to be used and the performance of asphalt pavement coated with PUD-TiO<sub>2</sub> in terms of indirect tensile strength, water susceptibility, and rutting resistance. Additionally, the performance of PUD-TiO<sub>2</sub> under different humidity, wind speed, and temperature conditions was also evaluated. The results showed that the application of PUD-TiO<sub>2</sub> photocatalyst on the asphalt pavements road reduces the NO<sub>X</sub> available on the surface of the road. The PUD-TiO<sub>2</sub> also was found to have no effects on the performance of asphalt pavement. Meanwhile, under different weather conditions, the reaction between the photocatalyst and NO<sub>X</sub> is mainly affected by the humidity.
ISSN:1996-1944