Bioasfalto: Asphalt Green replaces oil with vegetable oil

By studying the effects of adding vegetable oil to the common asphalt, a U.S. engineer may have discovered an Asphalt Green, a possible replacement for asphalt-based petróleo.O Professor Christopher Williams, University of Iowa, was testing compositions better able to withstand the intense temperature variations that the asphalts are subjected, especially in the Northern Hemisphere, with severe snowstorms in years where it snowed, and summer temperatures that hit records year after year.But the result was much better than expected - the asphalt not only assimilate a larger share of bio-oil than expected, but also its quality greatly increases in road conditions and durability.Bioasfalto - Born bioasfalto then, with the first tests began to be made this month. Gains have already begun to be verified in application, since the bioasfalto can be applied to a lower temperature than traditional asphalt oil.Since these initial trials will focus on durability and resistance to temperature variations, the researchers chose a bike path at the university as a laboratory.The monitoring will be done on the bioasfalto for a year to cover all seasons.Professor Williams says the bioasfalto allows mixing petroleum-based oils are partially replaced by biomass derived from various plants and trees.Fast Pyrolysis - Bio-oil used in bioasfalto is created by a thermochemical process called fast pyrolysis, where corn stalks, wood waste or other biomass is heated rapidly in an environment without oxygen.The process produces a liquid vegetable oil that can be used for the manufacture of fuels, chemicals and asphalt.The process also creates a solid product called biochar - a charcoal - which can be used to enrich the soil and to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.