QUANTITATIVE FUNCTIONAL GROUP ANALYSIS OF ASPHALTS USING DIFFERENTIAL INFRARED SPECTROMETRY AND SELECTIVE CHEMICAL REACTIONS--THEORY AND APPLICATION

An analytical method is described for the rapid quantitative analysis of seven highly polar chemical functional groups present in asphalt or formed in asphalt during oxidative aging. The method employs infrared spectrometry combined with the specialized use of selective chemical reactions and differential spectra for quantification of the analytical absorption bands of interest. The naturally occurring functional groups determined are carboxylic acids and their salts, 2-quinolone types, phenolics, and pyrrolics; those formed on oxidation are ketones, anhydrides, small amounts of acids, and sulfoxides. Several selected applications of the functional group analysis as applicable to composition-related problems in asphalt technology are presented.