Embedded Corrosion Sensing with ZnO-PVDF Sensor Textiles.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Corrosion Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Corrosion of underground and submerged steel pipes is a significant global challenge.
• Protective coatings are essential but can fail, initiating metal corrosion.
• Existing metal sensors exacerbate corrosion, highlighting the need for advanced detection methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate a non-conductive sensor textile as a viable solution for early corrosion detection.
• To develop and characterize Zinc Oxide-Polyvinylidene Fluoride (ZnO-PVDF) nanocomposite fiber textiles for sensor applications.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of these sensor textiles at the metal/coating interface.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of non-woven ZnO-PVDF nanocomposite fiber textiles with varying ZnO weight fractions (1%, 3%, 5%).
• Characterization of textile properties using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and d-meter.
• Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) testing of coated samples with integrated sensor textiles during immersion.

Main Results:

• Successfully prepared ZnO-PVDF nanocomposite textiles with distinct properties.
• Demonstrated the capability of the sensor textiles to function at the coating/steel interface.
• Validated the sensor textile's effectiveness in detecting corrosion through EIS testing.

Conclusions:

• ZnO-PVDF nanocomposite sensor textiles present a promising, non-conductive alternative for sub-surface corrosion sensing.
• This approach offers a low-cost and easily fabricated solution for early corrosion detection in steel infrastructure.
• The developed sensor textiles can serve as an effective early alert system, preventing catastrophic failures.