AkzoNobel

Dutch paint manufacturer AkzoNobel has introduced Ecosel Asphalt Protection, a biodegradable additive for de-icing brine that claims to help prevent roads from frost damage.

The company claims that the technology has been inspired by the animals that can prevent ice forming in their bodies.

The Ecosel Asphalt Protection helps in slowing freezing process of water trapped inside the asphalt used on road construction, preventing repeated freeze-thaw cycles that affect asphalt mixtures.

AkzoNobel’s additive brine also helps in making the ice on the roads soft and slushy, preventing the water trapped within the asphalt pores from turning into hard ice which damage of the roads during winters.

"Adding Ecosel Asphalt Protection to normal winter road salt can reduce frost damage by 50%."

According to researchers from AkzoNobel, the water trapped inside asphalt can expand by 9% when it freezes, which can break up the road.

Apart from protecting the road from frost during winters, it also ensures that the driving is safer of wet roads.

AkzoNobel executive committee member Werner Fuhrmann said: "Adding Ecosel Asphalt Protection to normal winter road salt can reduce frost damage by 50%."

"Municipalities and governments will substantially benefit from the results, less need for road repairs, fewer traffic jams, lower maintenance costs and greater road safety."

Fuhrmann added that the technology will result in fewer traffic jams and will require less energy and materials to clean up the roads, which will in turn help reduce CO² emissions.

The technology has already been tested in corporation with Danish, Swedish, Dutch and Austrian road authorities and it is available in Italy and the Netherlands.

Image: Ecosel Asphalt Protection. Photo: courtesy of AkzoNobel.