New asphalt that contains its own de-icer!

[thewayne]

Very clever, doesn't sound like it would add significantly to the cost per mile of road as it's an additive, not a replacement for something important.

They reformulated salt so it's not sodium chloride, combined it with some other stuff, then micro-encapsulated it. Mixed it with the top asphalt layer and laid it down on a freeway offramp. And it stayed ice-free! Every time someone drives across it, it ruptures some of the micro-encapsulated stuff and it releases, constantly fighting the ice. It's estimated that it could last five to seven years.

https://newatlas.com/materials/asphalt-salt-additive-ice-roads/

Comments

[silveradept]

That's an interesting idea, and I can see it having practical effects in more rural spaces (or very hilly ones) to keep those roads safer and less dangerous. I'd be even more impressed with it if they could re-seed the space with more of the microcapsules and get another several years out of it.

[thewayne]

Well, with a 5-7 year lifespan estimated, a lot of roads get torn up and rebuilt, or at least resurfaced, in that time frame.  I don't know that just sprinkling it on top would be enough as I would expect the microcapsules to literally wash away in a heavy rain. I think about the goober drivers that I see up here when it snows.  I remember one time I was going down the mountain to meet a friend who was leaving town for lunch.  It was snowing pretty heavy.  I have an AWD late-model Subaru Crosstrek with 8" of ground clearance and snow tires.  I was being VERY cautious as the road crews were running behind on plowing.  And I saw numerous cars heading up the mountain in front-wheel drive cars, no snow tires, sliding all over the place - frequently off-road.  We could certainly benefit from it up here, that's for sure!