Flash test development using ultrasonics for fast qualification of the mechanical resistance of industrial organic coatings: Part I. Methodological approach

A flash test based on the use of ultrasonics in water is developed in order to qualify industrial organic coatings toughness. It has been applied to samples of paint films used for protection against corrosion. The relevance of this test and the reliability of the results have been demonstrated. After reviewing the physical mechanisms associated with ultrasound waves, it has been shown that the implosion of cavitation bubbles on the organic surface is the predominant phenomenon responsible for the organic coating damages. This theoretical approach seems to be confirmed by the experiments on numerous samples.