Dynamic chemistry based self-healing of asphalt modified by diselenide-crosslinked polyurethane elastomer

Asphalt with self-healing property prevents the formation and propagation of cracks in asphalt pavements, while rejuvenation encapsulation and induction heating suffer from unsustainable nature and energy consumption. Herein, dynamic covalent chemistry was used to endow asphalt binder with self-healing property via modifying the asphalt with diselenide-crosslinked polyurethane elastomer . Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer and thermal-gravimetry results indicate that diselenide-bonds were stably introduced into the asphalt binder. The results from healing tests illustrated that diselenide bonds enhance the self-healing capability of polyurethane elastomer and asphalt binder, especially at the early stage after a fracture. This study opens up novel perspectives for preparing asphalt with self-healing property attributed to dynamic covalent chemistry.