This　study　aims　to　investigate　the　effect　of　compatibilization　methods　on　the　compatibility　between　asphalt　and　direct　coal　liquefaction　residue　(DCLR)　components　to　identify　the　key　components　in　DCLR　and　asphalt　that　affect　their　compatibility.　In　this　article,　three　types　of　compatibilizers,　including　benzyl　alcohol　(BA),　dioctyl　phthalate　(DOP),　and　BA/DOP,　were　selected　and　acted　on　asphalt＇s　components　and　DCLR＇s　components,　respectively.　The　molecular　models　of　asphalt　components,　asphalt　components　with　compatibilizers,　DCLR　components,　and　DCLR　components　with　compatibilizers　were　established.　The　compatibility　between　DCLR　and　asphalt＇s　four　components,　as　well　as　between　asphalt　and　DCLR＇s　three　components,　were　evaluated　by　solubility　parameter　difference　(SPD)　and　interaction　energy　(IE).　The　compatibility　between　DCLR　and　asphalt　was　analyzed　by　Segregation　test　and　Scanning　Electron　Microscope.　Results　indicate　that　the　SPD　and　IE　values　between　DCLR　and　asphalt　components　declined　after　adding　compatibilizers,　which　implies　that　the　repulsion　decreased　and　the　attraction　increased　between　asphalt　components　and　DCLR　and　the　compatibility　between　asphalt　components　and　DCLR　improved.　The　IE　values　between　DCLR　components　and　asphalt　increased　after　adding　compatibilizers,　which　indicates　that　the　compatibility　was　reduced　between　DCLR　components　and　asphalt.　The　SPD　values　between　DCLR　components　and　asphalt　increased　after　adding　the　BA/DOP.　The　SPD　values　between　pre-asphaltene　and　asphalt　decreased　after　adding　the　BA　and　DOP.　The　SPD　value　between　asphaltene　in　DCLR　and　asphalt　increased　after　adding　the　BA　and　decreased　after　adding　the　DOP.　Moreover,　the　storage　stability　and　homogeneity　of　DCLR-modified　asphalt　improved　after　adding　compatibilizers,　indicating　that　the　compatibilizers　enhanced　compatibility　between　DCLR　and　asphalt.　Finally,　comparing　the　results　of　the　tests,　it　could　be　found　that　compatibilizers　preferentially　acted　on　the　asphalt　components　and　mainly　affected　the　aromatics　in　asphalt,　thereby　improving　the　compatibility　between　asphalt　and　DCLR.　The　effect　of　BA/DOP　on　improving　the　compatibility　between　asphalt　and　DCLR　was　better　than　that　of　BA　and　DOP.　©　2024　Elsevier　Ltd