Abstract: A bitumen composite includes an amine-impregnated zeolite and bitumen. Forming the bitumen composite includes combining bitumen and an amine-impregnated zeolite to yield a mixture, heating the mixture to yield the bitumen composite.

Abstract: Treating plastic particles for use in concrete includes combining plastic particles with oil to yield a mixture, heating the mixture to yield a heated mixture, cooling the heated mixture to yield a cooled mixture, and removing excess oil from the cooled mixture to yield oil-treated plastic particles (e.g., oil-treated plastic particles for concrete). In one example, the oil is vegetable oil. The vegetable oil can be soybean oil, corn oil, canola oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, olive oil, grape seed oil, cocoa butter, palm oil, rice bran oil, or a combination thereof. The oil can be waste oil (e.g., waste vegetable oil, such as that recovered from restaurants). The plastic particles can be derived from post-consumer plastic, such as recycled plastic. In one example, the post-consumer plastic includes mixed plastics. A concrete composition can include rocks, sand, cement, and the oil-treated plastic particles.

Abstract: Treating plastic particles for use in concrete includes combining plastic particles with oil to yield a mixture, heating the mixture to yield a heated mixture, cooling the heated mixture to yield a cooled mixture, and removing excess oil from the cooled mixture to yield oil-treated plastic particles (e.g., oil-treated plastic particles for concrete). In one example, the oil is vegetable oil. The vegetable oil can be soybean oil, corn oil, canola oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, olive oil, grape seed oil, cocoa butter, palm oil, rice bran oil, or a combination thereof. The oil can be waste oil (e.g., waste vegetable oil, such as that recovered from restaurants). The plastic particles can be derived from post-consumer plastic, such as recycled plastic. In one example, the post-consumer plastic includes mixed plastics. A concrete composition can include rocks, sand, cement, and the oil-treated plastic particles.

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: Preparing hybrid-treated plastic particles from waste plastic includes combining waste plastic particles with bio-oil to yield a mixture, irradiating the mixture with microwave radiation to yield oil-treated plastic particles, and contacting the oil-treated plastic particles with carbon-containing nanoparticles to yield hybrid-treated plastic particles. The hybrid-treated plastic particles have a bio-oil modified surface and a coating comprising carbon-containing nanoparticles on the bio-oil modified surface of the plastic particle. In some examples, a diameter of the plastic particle is in a range between 250 ?m and 750 ?m, and a thickness of the coating is in a range of 1 nm to 20 nm. A modified binder includes an asphalt binder or a concrete binder and a multiplicity of the treated plastic particles. The modified binder typically includes 5 wt % to 25 wt % of the hybrid-treated plastic particles.

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: Biochar can be used as an additive for bitumen. A bitumen composite includes bitumen and biochar. The biochar can include biochar from one or more of algae, food waste, animal waste, and cellulose-containing material (e.g., palm sheath). The biochar typically comprises 1 wt % to 20 wt % of the weight of the bitumen composite. The bitumen composite can be combined with aggregate to yield asphalt.

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: Assessing an interaction between solid particles and a thermoplastic material in which the solid particles are dispersed includes combining a thermoplastic material with a multiplicity of solid particles to yield a heterogeneous mixture, processing the heterogeneous mixture to yield an unconditioned sample, conditioning the unconditioned sample to yield a conditioned sample, subjecting the conditioned sample to a ramping shear rate from an initial shear rate to a final shear rate, assessing a viscosity of the conditioned sample at a plurality of shear rates between the initial shear rate and the final shear rate, and assessing a value of a slope of a shear-thinning region for the unconditioned sample using a power-law equation.

Abstract: Preparing hybrid-treated plastic particles from waste plastic includes combining waste plastic particles with bio-oil to yield a mixture, irradiating the mixture with microwave radiation to yield oil-treated plastic particles, and contacting the oil-treated plastic particles with carbon-containing nanoparticles to yield hybrid-treated plastic particles. The hybrid-treated plastic particles have a bio-oil modified surface and a coating comprising carbon-containing nanoparticles on the bio-oil modified surface of the plastic particle. In some examples, a diameter of the plastic particle is in a range between 250 m and 750 m, and a thickness of the coating is in a range of 1 nm to 20 nm. A modified binder includes an asphalt binder or a concrete binder and a multiplicity of the treated plastic particles. The modified binder typically includes 5 wt % to 25 wt % of the hybrid-treated plastic particles.

Abstract: Sulfur copolymerization includes combining elemental sulfur with modified bitumen to yield a mixture, blending the mixture, and curing the mixture to yield a copolymerized modified bitumen. The modified bitumen includes waste vegetable oil. Inverse vulcanization includes combining an unsaturated fatty acid and an alkaline earth metal (hydr)oxide to yield a mixture, combining elemental sulfur with the mixture, and processing the mixture to yield a sulfur copolymer.

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 and a multiplicity of silica particles. Each silica particle is coupled to an acid component. Treating a modified bitumen includes contacting the modified bitumen with a flow of air and removing the flow of air after a length of time when a penetration grade of the bitumen decreases to a specified value.

Abstract: Treating aged asphalt includes contacting aged asphalt with a bioagent to yield a mixture. The aged asphalt includes a siliceous stone component and bitumen, and the bioagent includes bio-oils formed from hybrid biomasses. The siliceous stone component and the bitumen are separated. The bioagent promotes separation of the siliceous stone from the bitumen. A rejuvenated bitumen composition includes recycled bitumen, virgin bitumen, and a bioagent. The recycled bitumen can be produced from recycled asphalt paving, and the bioagent can include bio-oils formed from hybrid biomasses.

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: A composite including a polymeric material or emulsion and biochar. The composite includes 1 wt % to 20 wt % of the biochar. Making the composite includes combining biochar with a polymeric material or emulsion to yield a modified polymeric material or emulsion, and homogenizing the modified polymeric material or emulsion to yield the composite. Functionalizing biochar includes removing contaminants from the biochar to yield decontaminated biochar, oxidizing the decontaminated biochar to yield oxidized biochar, and functionalizing the oxidized biochar. Making nitrogen-doped biochar includes combining urea and wood residue to form a mixture, and heating the mixture in an oxygen-free environment to form the nitrogen-doped biochar.

Abstract: A hemp composite includes hemp, paper, and oil. Making a hemp composite includes processing hemp to yield a processed hemp. The processed hemp includes water. Making a hemp composite further includes combining the processed hemp with paper and oil to yield a hemp mixture, removing at least some of the water from the hemp mixture, and drying the hemp mixture to yield the hemp composite.

Abstract: Preparing hybrid-treated plastic particles from waste plastic includes combining waste plastic particles with bio-oil to yield a mixture, irradiating the mixture with microwave radiation to yield oil-treated plastic particles, and contacting the oil-treated plastic particles with carbon-containing nanoparticles to yield hybrid-treated plastic particles. The hybrid-treated plastic particles have a bio-oil modified surface and a coating comprising carbon-containing nanoparticles on the bio-oil modified surface of the plastic particle. In some examples, a diameter of the plastic particle is in a range between 250 m and 750 m, and a thickness of the coating is in a range of 1 nm to 20 nm. A modified binder includes an asphalt binder or a concrete binder and a multiplicity of the treated plastic particles. The modified binder typically includes 5 wt % to 25 wt % of the hybrid-treated plastic particles.

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.