Steady-state flow behaviour of synthetic binders

This paper deals with the influences that mineral oil, resin and polymer co ncentrations, and temperature, exert on the steady-state viscous how of mod el synthetic binders. With this aim, both binary (oil/resin and oil/polymer ) and ternary systems have been studied. All the systems show a Newtonian r egion in a shear rate range that depends on binder concentration and temper ature. The temperature dependence of the zero-shear-rate-limiting viscosity is described by an Arrhenius-like equation, in a temperature range that de pends on binder composition. This limiting viscosity, at any concentration and temperature within the experimental range studied, can be estimated fro m the values of activation energies and viscosities of the binary oil/resin systems and the polymer concentration used. These results have been discus sed on the basis of the development, depending on the polymer/resin ratio, of both a polymer-rich phase and a resin-rich phase in the bulk binder and its influence on the microstructure of the system. (C) 2001 Elsevier Scienc e Ltd. All rights reserved.