Journal of Applied Science and Engineering

Published by Tamkang University Press

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Asphalt Self-Healing Effect Based on Stress-Controlled Release Microcapsules

Yong Liu1, Yue Tong1, Jianwei Hou1, Ming Shi1, and Yunlong Guo2

1Yunnan Xuanhui Expressway Co., LTD., Qujing, 654299, China

2Jiangsu Dongjiao Intelligent Control Technology Group Co., LTD. Nanjing,210023, China

Received: March 12, 2025
Accepted: May 1, 2025
Publication Date: March 29, 2026

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Microcapsule structure and function.

 Copyright The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are cited.

Download Citation:  BibTeX | https://doi.org/10.6180/jase.202602_29(2).0020  

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Traditional stress-controlled release microcapsules used for asphalt self-healing suffer from poor strength, low thermal stability, and inconsistent release rates, limiting their practical application. This study proposes the design of high-strength, thermally stable stress-controlled release microcapsules to enhance asphalt’s self healing performance. By using high-performance polymer materials as the shell and employing the solution
impregnation method for microcapsule synthesis, the proposed microcapsules exhibit improved stability in high-temperature environments. The shell thickness, core content, and preparation conditions such as temperature, pH, and solvent selection are optimized to achieve precise control over the release rate and amount. Customizable microcapsules are developed to meet varying self-healing needs. These microcapsules are uniformly dispersed in the asphalt matrix through heating and stirring, ensuring an even distribution for effective self-healing. Experimental verification under different stress conditions confirms their stress-controlled release capabilities and crack-healing performance. Results demonstrate a crack closure degree of 0.87 at a stress frequency of 6 Hz, a compressive strength recovery rate of 0.82, and a repair time of 14 minutes. The microcapsules achieve a release rate accuracy between 0.90 and 0.97 across the stress frequency range, providing superior control over the healing agent release. This research offers a promising solution for improving asphalt durability.

Keywords: Stress Controlled Release Microcapsules; Asphalt Materials; Asphalt Self-Healing; Self-Healing Effect; Release Rate

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