title: The weak help the strong: low-molar-mass organogelators harden bitumen.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR 7610, Chimie des Polymères, F-75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Isare
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Petit
authors.forename: Emmanuelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bugnet
authors.forename: Régis
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vincent
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lapalu
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sautet
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bouteiller