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SemMaterialSM’s family of Butaphalt® Reactant cross-linking agents dramatically improve the quality of Polymer Modified Asphalts, without increasing and frequently reducing the final cost of the product. The PMAs resulting from using Butaphalt® Reactant are thermally and storage stable products that meet or exceed most State DOT specifications.

Reduced Polymer Loading

By more efficiently utilizing the polymer in a chemically bonded cross-linked structure we can, in the vast majority of cases, significantly reduce the amount of polymer needed to meet performance specifications. Just how much less polymer is needed depends upon the asphalt being modified. In our long experience between 0.25-0.5% less polymer is needed. This level is sometimes as high as 1%. In extremely rare cases we are not able to reduce the polymer level very much at all. Please see our technical data sheet BC-2, Butaphalt® Reactants Allow Reduced Polymer Levels.We would be pleased to demonstrate the savings that we can make with your asphalt.

Butaphalt® Reactants can be used with many different polymers including all those commonly used to modify asphalt. For example: Styrene Butadiene (SB), Styrene Butadiene Styrene (SBS), Styrene Butadiene Rubber Latex (SBR), Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) and Neoprene.

Improved Performance

Repeated tests show that the use of Butaphalt® Reactant yields improvements in physical properties. These include Superpave PG grade (often at both the high and low temperature ends of the spectrum) and elastic properties, measured either as the phase angle using the dynamic shear rheometer or by more traditional means such as elastic recovery.

Reduced Sensitivity to Base Asphalt

Long experience with asphalt from widely different sources has shown that the use of Butaphalt® Reactant significantly reduces the sensitivity of the polymer to the type of base asphalt being used. For example, asphalt from Boscan crude, an excellent asphalt widely know to be difficult to compatibilize with SBS polymers, can be readily used when cross-linked with Butaphalt® Reactant.

Improved Compatibility
The Butaphalt® Reactants provide dramatically improved compatibility between asphalt and polymer. This is confirmed by measurement of the physical properties of asphalt taken from the top and bottom of an ovenaged sample. Any difference in properties is an indication that separation has ccurred.

Improved Elastic Performance
The Butaphalt® Reactant creates a tough permanent network between the polymer and the asphalt, as demonstrated by the superior elastic recovery of the reacted product.