Non-Destructive Subsurface Inspection of Marine and Protective Coatings Using Near- and Mid-Infrared Optical Coherence Tomography

Near- and mid-infrared optical coherence tomography (OCT) is evaluated as a non-destructive non-contact reflection imaging modality for inspection of industrial marine coatings. Near-infrared OCT was used to obtain high-resolution images (~6/2 µm lateral/axial) hidden subsurface cracks defects in resin base coating, which had been exposed high pressure temperature study coating degradation hostile environments. Mid-infrared employed (~15/8.5 highly scattering coatings, demonstrating monitoring wet film thickness particle dispersion during curing 210 layer antifouling detection substrate corrosion through 369 high-gloss alkyd enamel. Combining fast, non-invasive scanning, therefore considered promising tool studying performance inspection.