Recent advances in desulfurized rubber modified asphalt from interfacial engineering to colloidal stability and sustainable applications.

Despite numerous studies on desulfurized rubber modified asphalt (DRMA), a mechanistic understanding of how desulfurization-driven structural evolution dictates interfacial interactions and engineering properties is lacking, constraining DRMA development from preparation to green applications. To address this, the present review begins by systematically delineating the pristine composition and hierarchical structure of crumb rubber, alongside the structural evolution of its vulcanized network during desulfurization. Subsequently, a critical and comparative evaluation of prevailing desulfurization technologies is presented, with emphasis on their inherent reaction mechanisms, technical characteristics, and practical applicability. Building upon this foundation, the dissolution and swelling behaviors, microstructural reorganization, and molecular level interaction mechanisms between desulfurized rubber and asphalt are comprehensively reviewed, aiming to unravel the physicochemical origins of enhanced compatibility and overall material performance. The consequential effects on the storage stability, high-temperature rheological properties, intermediate-temperature fatigue resistance, and low-temperature cracking resistance of DRMA are further discussed in depth. Moreover, the environmental performance and low-carbon application potential of DRMA are explored by considering pollutant emissions, carbon emissions, and environmental sustainability. By holistically integrating current knowledge across the domains of material structural chemistry, interfacial interaction physics, engineering rheology, and sustainability science, this review constructs a coherent mechanistic framework. Ultimately, it offers forward-looking perspectives for the intelligent and sustainable design of high-performance rubber modified asphalt materials, while simultaneously promoting the high-value circular utilization of waste tires.