Corrosion Sensor System Using SPR Pattern Recognition
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional corrosion sensors lack selectivity and sensitivity in measuring a wide variety of metal corrosion environments, particularly in atmospheric conditions, and are not suitable for quick evaluation due to their limited ability to distinguish between different corrosive substances and signals from non-corrosive matter.
Innovation Solution
A high selectivity corrosion sensor system comprising a group of surface plasmon resonance sensors and localized surface plasmon resonance sensors with different corrosion resistances and tendencies, combined with a light projector, detector, and database for pattern recognition analysis, allowing for accurate estimation of metal corrosion environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single surface plasmon resonance sensor is used, then the measurement is non-destructive and contactless, but it cannot distinguish between corrosion signals and signals from non-corrosive matter
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is segmented into multiple independent surface plasmon resonance sensors, each with different metal film configurations. This segmentation allows each sensor to respond differently to corrosive substances versus non-corrosive matter, enabling discrimination through pattern recognition of the combined signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite sensor structures with different metal films (e.g., Au, Ag, Cu, Al) and varying thicknesses. These composite material configurations create distinct optical responses to corrosive environments, allowing the system to differentiate between actual corrosion and other environmental changes.
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensors with different metal films are used to improve selectivity, then corrosion identification accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The multiple surface plasmon resonance sensors with different metal films serve universal functions: they all detect environmental changes via optical means, but their different material properties enable them to collectively identify specific corrosive substances. This multi-functionality approach allows one system to handle various corrosive environments without requiring specialized sensors for each substance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback through pattern recognition algorithms that analyze the combined signals from multiple sensors. The measurement results are processed to distinguish corrosion patterns from non-corrosive changes, providing selective identification. This feedback mechanism transforms the complex multi-sensor data into reliable corrosion detection information.
3Productivity
If conventional corrosion sensors are used, then they can detect specific substances, but they cannot quickly evaluate corrosion in atmospheric environments
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces conventional electrochemical measurement techniques with optical surface plasmon resonance detection. This substitution eliminates the need for wet sensor surfaces and lengthy measurement times, enabling rapid atmospheric corrosion evaluation while maintaining high precision through optical signal detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the detection parameter from electrochemical signals (requiring wet surfaces and long measurement times) to optical parameters (resonance wavelength shifts). This parameter change enables quick evaluation in atmospheric conditions while preserving measurement precision through the sensitivity of optical detection to nanoscale surface changes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables high sensitivity and selectivity in assessing various metal corrosion environments quickly, distinguishing between different corrosive substances and signals, and performing non-destructive, contactless measurements.
Implementation Method 1
a surface plasmon resonance sensor can measure, on a nano-scale of several nm to several some hundreds of nm, a change in a medium surrounding the sensor surface
Implementation Method 2
at least two sensors selected from surface plasmon resonance sensors and localized surface plasmon resonance sensors
Data Source
AI summary
The high selectivity corrosion sensor system includes: a sensor group including at least one selected from SPR sensors whose sensor surfaces have metallic thin films made of different materials, SPR sensors whose sensor surfaces have functional films made of different materials, and LSPR sensors including different metallic fine particles; a light projector projecting light toward the sensors; a detector detecting, as signal intensities, light beams being from the sensors and corresponding to the light beam intensities; a database in which information on corrosion of a subject metal is accumulated; and an analyzer analyzing a degree of corrosion of the subject metal by pattern recognition based on the signal intensities from the detector and the information in the database.