Scientists at Battelle have invented a smart coating that can detect corrosion before it can be seen by the human eye. The discovery potentially could save the Pentagon and the airline industry tens of billions of dollars a year.
Pentagon officials alone estimate that corrosion of military hardware costs the Defense Department between $10 billion and $20 billion a year.
The coating can be applied between a primer and topcoat. It fluoresces once corrosion begins in the metal. The scientists say the coating can be used on a variety of metals.
A Battelle spokesman estimates the smart coat is about two to three years from the marketplace.