Corrosion Protection using Appliqués with Embedded Corrosion Sensors

The MDA must maintain high-value missile defense test and evaluation facilities, equipment, and components in several remote locations with very aggressive environments (such as Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands). Corrosion protection is a critical issue for reliability and performance; however, maintenance of that protection is difficult given the remoteness and corrosivity of the sites. In the Phase I SBIR project, DACCO SCI and Integument Technologies demonstrated the feasibility of an innovative "peel and stick" sensored appliqué that not only will provide outstanding corrosion protection, but will also allow health monitoring to detect degradation before it becomes serious. The internal in-situ corrosion sensors will enable condition based maintenance and predictive assessment thus facilitating the cost effective operation of the facilities. In Phase II, DACCO SCI and Integument propose to continue to develop the sensored appliqué, demonstrate the appliqué in the field and laboratory, and address issues including UV stability, correlation between laboratory and field exposures, prognostic warning provided by the sensors, database of appliqué performance, connection schemes, and inspection protocols.