Monitoring corrosion on aluminium surface by neutron radiography

The contrast sensitivity of neutron radiographic detection of corrosion products in aluminium is merely on order of magnitude better than with soft (30kV) x-ray radiography. Experimentally we have confirmed that through 1 cm thick Al slab approximately 0.1 mm thick layer of corrosion products can easily be detected. With neutron radiography quantitative measurements of the depth of surface corrosion on aluminium objects can be effectively performed. As an example aluminium honeycomb structures can be simultaneously inspected for corrosion nests, remnants of water and defects in adhesive layer. (author)