New Accelerated Corrosion Test Using Controlled Relative Humidity

As the U.S. Department of Defense transitions away from hexavalent chromium due to health concerns and increasing regulations, new corrosion protection technologies must be developed and validated. In order to evaluate these technologies quickly and reliably, accelerated tests that more accurately mimic operational environments are needed. Six test methods were designed to explore the effects of various test method parameters on the resulting corrosion damage of coated metallic assemblies. The corrosion under coatings and within galvanic interfaces was quantified using optical profilometry. An optimal method was identified based on whether the aerospace coating stack-ups could be distinguished after exposure.