Reduce carbon emissions and boost pavement durability with
Solstice Titan^TM

The asphalt industry faces increasing pressure to reduce emissions, lower energy consumption, and increase the use of recycled materials. Traditionally, lowering mix temperatures meant sacrificing compaction quality or long-term durability. That compromise is no longer necessary.

Solstice Titan enables meaningful reductions in production and compaction temperatures — while maintaining and often improving pavement performance.

By modifying the binder at a molecular level, it improves lubricity and aggregate packing, allowing asphalt mixtures to reach target densities with less thermal energy and less compaction effort. In field trials, paving operations achieved approximately 33% fewer roller passes while reducing fuel consumption by 13%. Lower temperatures directly reduce CO₂ and VOC emissions while also improving job-site safety by decreasing fume generation.

In one of the trials in the Netherlands, the material demonstrated compaction temperature reductions of up to 40°C while maintaining structural integrity. In addition, the polymer's storage stability — verified for up to 90 days at 163°C — ensures consistent performance without material degradation.

Importantly, Solstice Titan facilitates higher utilization of RAP and RAS, helping contractors meet sustainability targets without compromising durability. The result is a paving solution that reduces environmental impact while delivering high-performance pavements capable of carrying heavier traffic loads for longer periods.

Solstice Titan is an ideal polymer for bitumen modification — increasing binder stiffness while simultaneously improving bitumen lubricity. Improved lubricity helps aggregates orient during compaction to achieve an optimized packing structure with more stone-to-stone contact points, delivering superior rutting resistance from within the mix itself.

Premature rutting, moisture damage, and cracking require more than increased binder stiffness — they require optimizing the interaction between binder and aggregate, where load transfer truly occurs.

Solstice Titan functions as both a rheology modifier and a lubrication enhancer. While it increases high-temperature stiffness to resist rutting, it simultaneously improves aggregate packing density during compaction. This dual functionality strengthens the internal structure of the asphalt layer rather than simply increasing viscosity.

Adding Solstice Titan polymers to asphalt shows notable improvement in rutting resistance as measured by the AASHTO TP79 Flow Number (FN) Test. Using the Hamburg Wheel Tracking Test (AASHTO T 324), Solstice Titan added at less than 1.5% weight of the binder can significantly reduce Creep Rate and increase the cycles to both the Stripping Inflection Point (SIP) and the allowable rutting limit.

Moisture resistance also improves markedly. Tensile Strength Ratio testing indicates a rise from approximately 40% in unmodified mixtures to above 70% when modified with Solstice Titan — with hybrid systems approaching full moisture retention.

These mechanical improvements can extend pavement life and potentially allow for optimized layer thickness or increased ESAL capacity without compromising long-term durability.

Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene (SBS) modifiers have long been used to increase binder elasticity and stiffness. However, the increased viscosity associated with SBS can limit workability, require high shear mixing equipment, and demand long blending times — often between four and twelve hours.

Solstice Titan allows incorporation within one to two hours — significantly accelerating plant throughput while maintaining lower viscosity.

Results from the AASHTO T 283 test clearly show that Solstice Titan enhances moisture resistance by increasing wet tensile strength — more than doubling it from 35 psi to 100 psi when used alone, and more than quadrupling it to 150 psi when combined with SBS. The TSR increases from 40% to more than 70% with Solstice Titan alone, and to almost 100% with the SBS combination.

Field data demonstrate that mixes containing Solstice Titan can be produced and compacted at lower temperatures — approximately 55°F lower in documented trials — while still achieving improved density.

Unlike SBS systems, which can suffer from phase separation and storage instability, Solstice Titan-modified binders have demonstrated stability for up to 90 days at elevated storage temperatures, reducing the risk of reprocessing or material waste.

For projects requiring very high-performance grades, Solstice Titan can also be used in hybrid systems alongside SBS — delivering enhanced rutting resistance and moisture durability while mitigating SBS's workability limitations. The result is improved performance with fewer operational constraints and lower plant complexity.

Solstice Titan impacts cost at multiple stages of the paving process. Lower production and compaction temperatures reduce fuel consumption — demonstrated at approximately 13% in field trials. Reduced roller passes decrease labor, equipment usage, and project timelines.

Solstice Titan does not require high shear mixing equipment and can be incorporated within one to two hours — reducing capital investment and operational downtime.

Simplified formulation may also eliminate the need for additional additives such as cross-linkers or anti-stripping agents, further reducing material costs and supply chain complexity.

Mechanical performance gains — including improved dynamic modulus and rutting resistance — can reduce maintenance frequency and extend service life. Some studies suggest potential structural optimization that may allow thinner surface layers without sacrificing durability.

An additional economic benefit lies in extended paving seasons. Because the modified binder remains workable at lower temperatures, contractors can operate during cooler months, improve plant utilization, and capture off-season pricing advantages.

Taken together, these effects translate into lower CapEx, lower OpEx, and improved margin per project.