Structural and chemical imaging analysis of bitumen

• Microstructures of bitumen surfaces (both air-cooled and fractured) were imaged by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and chemically characterised by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). For certain air-cooled bitumen surfaces, bee structures were observed by AFM, and chemical explanation by wax crystallisation was confirmed by TOF-SIMS analysis. Unlike the air-cooled surfaces, the fracture surfaces generally did not show clear structure patterns. Furthermore, TOF-SIMS analysis was conducted on the tube-like or worm structures which were generated by environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) on the bitumen surfaces. In general, very small chemical differences were observed between the structured and unstructured areas, as well as between different areas of the structure. To understand the formation of the ESEM structures, possible contributing factors were examined, from which a mechanism involving electron-induced heating was proposed.

Nyckelord

AFM

bitumen

ESEM

microstructure

TOF-SIMS

wax

Atomic force microscopy

Bituminous materials

Cooling systems

Organic polymers

Scanning electron microscopy

Secondary ion mass spectrometry

Waxes

Contributing factor

Environmental scanning electron microscopies (ESEM)

Fracture surfaces

Time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry

ToF SIMS

TOF-SIMS analysis

Chemical analysis

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