Outside of asphalt defects caused by base failures, infrared restoration has proven to be the finest method available for repairing the majority of asphalt defects.
When using infrared for repairing asphalt there are two important concerns that must be addressed.
First: The existing asphalt pavement that will be recycled has aged over time. Exposure to the sun and the elements over time oxidized the light oils component in asphalt.
Second: During the infrared heating process, as the temperature of the asphalt is increased to above approximately 375 degrees Fahrenheit, the oxidation of light oils are accelerated. It is also important to know that at around the 500 degree mark, asphalt will burn (coke) rendering it useless for recycling.
Maltenes are the light oil component of asphaltic cement (AC). Asphaltenes are the black solids that provide the gluing characteristics of AC. The maltenes are the medium through which the asphaltenes are dispersed.
The engineers from the Asphalt Institute recommend using a maltenes rejuvenator. The rejuvenator that we recommend using in conjunction with the Infrared Restoration Process is a product called Cyclogen LE. Cyclogen is a maltenes rejuvenator. Therefore, by adding Cyclogen to the asphalt after it has been heated you are overcoming the two possible causes of problems. You are replacing the portion of the asphalt that has been compromised by either natural aging or the heating process.