The Usefulness of Infrared Spectroscopy for Elucidating the Degradation Mechanism of Metal Industrial Heritage Coatings

As society moves away from heavy industry, large metallic structures will be abandoned. As an alternative to dismantling, these structures could be repurposed. Beyond being a practical solution, the conservation of these structures would serve as an ode to the role of these industries in shaping modern society. Conservation, however, requires suitable coatings that hinder corrosion long-term while not significantly altering the outward appearance. Traditionally, the stability of coatings has been tested by comparing fresh samples to those aged naturally or in a UV chamber. This method of testing provides no temporal information. Additionally, measuring many different conditions, e.g., UV, humidity, temperature, and pollutants, is tedious. In this review, we highlight how by implementing infrared spectroscopy in different configurations, temporally resolved information about the coating chemistry, the metal–coating interface chemistry, and gas emissions could be gained during degradation. These insights would be essential to enable the intentional design of coatings while simultaneously revealing their environmental impact.