Research Progress on Bio-Based Polyurethane-Modified Asphalt Technology

Driven by the goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, as well as the increasing demand for green construction materials, traditional petroleum-based asphalt can no longer fully meet the requirements of long-life and low-carbon road construction due to its strong resource dependence, susceptibility to aging, and difficulty in balancing high- and low-temperature performance. Bio-based polyurethane-modified asphalt (Bio-PUMA) uses renewable or waste biomass to construct high-performance polyurethane (PU) networks, providing a new way to improve pavement performance, reduce carbon emissions, and support the sustainable development of road materials. This paper reviews the molecular structural characteristics of bio-based precursors, including vegetable oil, rosin, and lignin, and summarizes their effects on PU network formation, asphalt microphase morphology, and pavement performance. Existing studies show that the functionality, molecular backbone, hydroxyl value, and soft-to-hard segment ratio of bio-based polyols govern the crosslinking density, phase continuity, and asphalt compatibility of polyurethane networks, thereby influencing rutting resistance, cracking resistance, aging resistance, interfacial adhesion, and mixture performance. Current challenges include unstable biomass feedstocks, difficulty in balancing low-temperature toughness and high-temperature strength, limited long-term service data, and incomplete life-cycle assessment. Future studies should focus on precursor standardization, precise molecular design, multiscale performance evaluation, and engineering validation to promote the application of Bio-PUMA in long-life, low-carbon, and large-scale road infrastructure.