Characterization of Functional Coatings on Cork Stoppers with Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Imaging

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Industrial Quality Control

Background:

• Surface treatments are crucial for cork stopper performance, enhancing impermeability and lubrication.
• Current analysis methods are often destructive, time-consuming, and lack representativity.
• There is a need for efficient, non-destructive techniques for cork surface evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for evaluating cork stopper surface treatments.
• To assess LIBS imaging for detecting coating presence and defects on cork surfaces.
• To determine the feasibility of LIBS for in-depth and surface analysis of cork stoppers.

Main Methods:

• Utilized laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) imaging.
• Analyzed cork stoppers with defined untreated surface areas using a grid of laser spots.
• Performed multi-shot analysis per spot to identify surface features and depth variations.

Main Results:

• LIBS successfully detected untreated surface areas on cork stoppers.
• The technique identified other surface anomalies like leakage and holes.
• LIBS demonstrated effectiveness at varying depths, indicating potential for in-depth analysis.

Conclusions:

• LIBS imaging is a promising non-destructive technique for cork stopper surface analysis.
• This method offers high success rates in identifying surface features and defects.
• LIBS can pave the way for advanced, industry-grade quality control solutions in cork production.