Steps in the preparation of the microcapsule type anti-icing agent. Source: ACS Omega 2023, 8, 5, 4906-4920
Maintaining snow- and ice-free roads during winter in many regions can be a labor-intensive chore. Mechanical means of removal can damage road surfaces while the application of salts to melt ice and snow incurs environmental penalties in the form of water pollution and materials corrosion. If only these roads could clear themselves without human intervention…
A promising solution developed by researchers in China offers a salty approach to achieving this goal. Microcapsules filled with a chloride-free salt mixture are added into asphalt prior to the paving of roads to deliver long-term snow melting capabilities. A fine powder is formed by combining a sodium acetate salt with blast furnace slag, silicon dioxide, sodium bicarbonate and a surfactant. Microcapsules are then formed with the application of a polymer solution and incorporated into asphalt mixtures destined for roadways.
