Caracterização de ligante asfáltico brasileiro e avaliação da presença de hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos (HPAs)

Abstract

The Brazilian binder processed at Petrobras/Lubnor from a crude of the state of Espírito Santo was investigated using the following procedures: spectrometric methods (RMN and FTIR), chromatographic (GPC), thermal analysis (TGA) and atomic microscopy (AFM). The two main fractions of the binder, maltenes and asphaltenes, were also analyzed. Hydrocarbons polycyclic aromatics (HPAs) were extracted from the maltene portion using chromatographic methods such as: matrix dispersion in solid phase (DMFS), chromatographic adsorption in column and gas chromatographic (GC). The results indicate that the asphaltic binder present toxic HPAs as well as mutagenic and carcinogenic, and yet other HPAs different from the analytical references that were studied. The molecular structure of coroneno was visualized using image microscopy (STM). Binder images obtained from atomic microscopy (AFM) show a coexistence of a phase rich in asphaltenes in equilibrium. Images (AFM) of a polymer modified binder indicate that the maltenes are absorbed by the polymer. The AFM images of the asphaltenes extracted from the binder were perceived as circular bundles stabilized in the presence of a solvent. The average asphaltene mol mass was calculated based on two different techniques: osmometry and gel permeation chromatography in the range 5900-6700 g/mol. Thermal stability of the binder and the asphaltenes was analyzed from TGA curves. From activation energy calculation, oxidative stability of the binder and the asphaltenes was chaotic because of the high reactivity of the constituents with oxygen. Such stability seems to be affected by secondary reactions decomposition and/or product oxidation. The solubility of asphaltenes in n-hexane was evaluated in the presence of additives and it was found that it increases with the addition of cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) and carnauba wax.