Dr. Dong Lu, Associate Professor

College of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Hohai University, Nanjing, China

Biography

Dr. Dong Lu is an Associate Professor at Hohai University. He earned his Ph.D. from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where he further contributed to academia as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. With a steadfast commitment to advancing the fields of nanoconcrete, multifunctional and smart pavements, Dr. Lu has established himself as a distinguished researcher. His scholarly contributions include the publication of more than 80 high-caliber SCI papers in prestigious journals, including ACS Nano, Carbon, and Cement & Concrete Composites, garnering an H-index of 31. Dr. Lu's leadership is evident through his direction of five research initiatives and the acquisition of 12 invention patents, underscoring his innovative impact on the scientific community.

Topic

Self-healing Asphalt Pavement Empowered by Carbon Nanotube Polymer Coated Aggregates

Abstract

Conductive additives, such as steel fiber, carbon fiber, carbon nanotube (CNT), or graphene, are typically mixed with asphalt first prior to combining with aggregate (filler) to prepare electrically-conductive asphalt concrete (ECAC). This approach aims to achieve anti-icing/de-icing, self-healing of microcracks in pavements, and traffic information detection. However, effectively dispersing these additives in asphalt at a low cost and high efficiency remains a challenge, resulting in limited conductivity. To address this, we develop a novel type of ECAC utilizing conductive aggregates. These conductive aggregates are prepared by dip-coating the surfaces of raw aggregates with CNT polymer nanocomposites (CPN), enabling the construction of a three-dimensional conductive network within the asphalt concrete through direct contact between these conductive aggregates.