Wireless Sensors with Advanced Detection and Prognostic Capabilities for Corrosion Health Management

Detecting and monitoring galvanic activity/corrosivity and quantifying the resulting corrosion damage are key capabilities for corrosion health management. Advanced sensor constructs and sensor suites are needed that can work together to monitor local environment conditions and actual material condition, especially in complex structures and components that include multiple material types. JENTEK has developed a family of electroquasistatic and magnetoquasistatic sensors that utilize model based inversion algorithms to determine absolute values of multiple unknown material properties that correlate with many conditions of interest. These thin film sensors are extremely reliable and repeatable and their small size and light weight permit them to be permanently mounted in aerospace structures. In this proposed Phase I program, JENTEK will evaluate innovative applications of electric and magnetic field sensing approaches to provide in-situ monitoring of electrochemical/galvanic activity as well as condition assessment of structural and protective materials. Sensor constructs will be explored that embody winding and sensor geometries that lend themselves to physical modeling, permitting accurate response prediction and reliable monitoring of relevant conditions over time. In Phase II, we plan to implement an integrated suite of sensors for JSF component testing which may include rapid remaining useful life prediction and wireless communication capability.