Abstract: Forming a modified bitumen includes contacting an oil with bitumen to yield a bitumen matrix comprising the oil, combining sulfur with the bitumen matrix, and reacting the sulfur with the oil to yield the modified bitumen. The modified bitumen composition includes bitumen, a sulfur component, and an oil component. The sulfur component is bonded covalently to the oil component, and the oil component is bonded covalently to the bitumen. An asphalt can include the modified bitumen.

Abstract: Fabricating a wood-plastic composite includes capturing carbon dioxide from air, providing the carbon dioxide to algae, harvesting the algae, liquefying the algae to yield biochar, treating the biochar to yield functionalized carbon, and combining the functionalized carbon, wood flour, and a plastic feedstock to yield the wood-plastic composite. A wood-plastic composite includes mixed waste plastic, wood flour, and functionalized carbon.

Abstract: In one aspect, manufacturing carbon fiber materials includes combining waste plastic with waste polyethylene oil to yield infused waste plastic, combining the infused waste plastic with sulfuric acid to yield a mixture, irradiating the mixture with microwave radiation to yield sulfonated waste plastic, and carbonizing the sulfonated waste plastic to yield the carbon fiber materials. In another aspect, manufacturing carbon fiber materials includes combining waste polyethylene oil with sulfuric acid to yield a mixture, combining the mixture with waste plastic to yield infused waste plastic, irradiating the infused waste plastic with microwave radiation to yield sulfonated waste plastic, and carbonizing the sulfonated waste plastic to yield the carbon fiber materials.

Abstract: A coating composition includes alkaline mineral particles including an oxide of an alkaline earth metal and an amine-containing polymer. The amine-containing polymer is adsorbed on the alkaline mineral particles. Forming a coating composition includes at least partially coating alkaline mineral particles with an amine-containing polymer and dispersing the alkaline mineral particles in a liquid to yield the coating composition. The alkaline mineral particles include an oxide of an alkaline earth metal.

Abstract: A modified bitumen composition includes bitumen, biomass oil including one or more phenolic compounds, and added sulfur. The modified bitumen composition includes between about 5 wt% and about 25 wt% of the added sulfur, at least some of the added sulfur is present as polysulfide chains, and at least some of the one or more phenolic compounds are configured to covalently bind to the polysulfide chains. Making a modified bitumen includes combining bitumen and elemental sulfur to yield sulfur-extended bitumen, and combining the sulfur-extended bitumen with biomass oil including one or more phenolic compounds to yield the modified bitumen.

Abstract: An asphalt modifier includes bitumen, polyolefin particles, and one or more alkyl terephthalamides. Preparing an asphalt modifier includes combining one or more alkyl terephthalamides, polyolefin particles, and bitumen, and dispersing the polyolefin particles in the bitumen to yield the asphalt modifier. Digesting polyethylene terephthalate includes combining polyethylene terephthalate with an alkylamine or carboxyalkylamine to yield a reaction mixture, and heating the reaction mixture to a temperature between about 20° C. and about 300° C. to yield an alkyl terephthalamide.

Abstract: Preparing a modified bitumen composition includes combining bitumen with elemental sulfur to yield a mixture, and crystallizing the elemental sulfur on a surface of the bitumen to yield a layer of elemental sulfur on the surface of the bitumen. The mixture typically includes about 5 wt % to about 15 wt % of the elemental sulfur. A modified bitumen composition includes A modified bitumen composition includes bitumen and elemental sulfur on a surface of the bitumen. The modified bitumen composition includes about 5 wt % to about 15 wt % of the elemental sulfur.