Hybrid combination of waste plastics and graphene for high-performance sustainable roads

The development of the European road infrastructure is part of the European Action Plan that finances sustainable growth. The European regulation establishes the criteria for determining whether an investment can be considered eco-sustainable and it sets precise and clear environmental objectives that are indispensable for achieving eco-sustainability: the mitigation and adaptation to climate change, the transition to a circular economy, the prevention and reduction of pollution, and the sustainable use of water and marine resources. The development of innovative technologies is fundamental to pursue sustainability objectives in the road infrastructure. The Ecopave Project, funded by the European Union and the Lombardy region, allowed studying and developing a new supermodifier for asphalt mixtures. The modifier, which has two patents (one for the composition and one for the production method), was made of recycled waste plastic, usually destined to incineration, 100% pure graphene, and other components (i.e., the functional base). The final product is a Graphene-Based Supermodifier (GBSm) for asphalt concrete that improves the service life and reduces the need for maintenance of road pavements with the goal of abating environmental impacts.