The weak help the strong: low-molar-mass organogelators harden bitumen.
Low-molar-mass organogelators (LMOG) can turn liquids into thermoreversible gels because they self-assemble into a fibrous network. In contrast, using the same kind of low-molar-mass additives to harden materials, which are already solidlike on their own, has been hardly exploited. We show here that simple dicarboxylic acids are very efficient low-molar-mass organogelators (LMOG) for bitumen. Indeed, they increase the range of temperature where bitumen is a solid. Moreover, the hardness and elastic modulus of bitumen at room temperature are also improved. This concept of improving the mechanical properties of a solid with an LMOG can probably be applied to other materials.
Isare
Benjamin
B
UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR 7610, Chimie des Polymères, F-75005 Paris, France.
Petit
Laurence
L
Bugnet
Emmanuelle
E
Vincent
Régis
R
Lapalu
Laurence
L
Sautet
Philippe
P
Bouteiller
Laurent
L