The Corrosion Technology Testbed has operated for over 35 years developing corrosion control techniques and detection methods; evaluating materials, coatings, and corrosion control methods; investigating material behavior; analyzing corrosion failures; and recommending approaches to mediate corrosion activity. These capabilities, along with an extensive historical database to support collected data, have served the space program, private industry, the Department of Transportation, and the U.S. military. Located in one of the most corrosive environments in the world, the Corrosion Technology Testbed's uniqueness lies in the availability and combinations of extensive specialized services, trained personnel, and testing facilities at one location. The testbed consists of an atmospheric beach test site, an electrochemistry laboratory, a general corrosion laboratory, an environmental testing laboratory, a photodocumentation laboratory, a seawater immersion facility, and a complete weather station to support data analysis. The Corrosion Technology Testbed also has complete network connectivity for real-time data acquisition and Internet video.
Staff Credentials
Three Ph.D. Chemists (electro-, analytical, organic, and inorganic chemistry)
One M.S. Corrosion Engineer (Ocean Engineering)
One B.S. Corrosion Engineer IV (Ocean Engineering)
Two B.S. Corrosion Engineers (Materials Science Engineering/Engineering Technology)
Two Corrosion Technicians
National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) certification in basic corrosion, coating inspection and evaluation, cathodic protection, and corrosion design and testing
Laboratories Services and Equipment:
Electrochemistry; direct current electrochemical experimentation and analysis (direct current methods and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy)
Coating application, evaluation, inspection, and testing; sample preparation; and paint staging
Scanning electron microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and automated image analysis
Experiment staging; real-time and accelerated corrosion testing
Reinforced-concrete testing and analysis
Accelerated corrosion and salt fog testing
Seawater immersion
Analysis of impingement and erosion corrosion, cavitation, and other velocity effects
Metallurgical failure analysis, microchemical analysis, and material testing and evaluation
Cathodic protection measurement and analysis
Corrosion potential mapping
Remote corrosion data acquisition and delivery
Weather data acquisition and delivery
Laboratory Assets & Specialized Equipment
Beach Corrosion Test Site: Most corrosive site in North America (qualifies as accelerated testing), including a full complement of configurable exposure stands, a test area for reinforced concrete, and a weather station supplying parameters to correlate with collected corrosion data.
General Corrosion Laboratory: Fabrication of and experiments with reinforced concrete, coating evaluations, electrochemical analyses.
Electrochemistry Laboratory: A full complement of potentiostats and galvanostats to accomplish DC/AC experiments.
Environmental Chamber Laboratory: Salt fog testing capabilities and weatherometer.
Photodocumentation Laboratory: State-of-the-art cameras and microscopes to document corrosion and corrosion processes.
Coating Application Laboratory: Coating measurements and evaluations.
Paint Shop: Precision cleaning and sample preparation for coating evaluation.
Recent Notable Achievements:
Conducted a corrosion inhibitor study that resulted in the decision to apply a migrating corrosion inhibitor to NASA structures at KSC. This application will reduce the rate of corrosion and extend the life of structures by decades.
Invented a liquid applied coating that serves as a sacrificial anode to protect reinforcing steel in concrete. NASA has secured licensing fees for this coating and has contracted for royalties.
Conducted analyses that were instrumental in selecting a stainless-steel alloy to replace the corroding 300-series stainless-steel tubes at the Space Shuttle launch pads. This replacement alloy will extend the life of the tubing network by decades, reduce maintenance efforts, and increase safety.
Tested chemical rinse agents that the U.S. Army is considering using to rinse their aircraft. This study spanned 2 years and tested four rinse agents on eight different materials.
Assisted NASA engineers in evaluating gaseous nitrogen vessels and railcars for use at KSC's Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC). This assistance was delivered ahead of schedule and under budget, allowing the ATDC project to proceed as planned.
Authored numerous publications in the fields of corrosion and coatings. These publications are available at http://corrosion.ksc.nasa.gov.
ASRC Aerospace Corporation
P.O. Box 21087
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Corrosion Technology Testbed
Staff Credentials