Real-time in-situ coatings corrosion monitoring using machine learning-enhanced triboelectric nanogenerator

Current methods for monitoring coating corrosion are limited by their inability to provide real-time data and dependence on external power sources. This study presents a novel in-situ corrosion monitoring system using a solid-liquid triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) that converts mechanical energy into electrical signals for selfpowered sensing. TENG signals and electrochemical impedance spectra were measured on a dopaminemodified lignin-polydimethylsiloxane coating on steel in 1 M NaCl solution under no corrosion, indentation, pitting, and broken conditions, respectively. We extract time-frequency features from the TENG signals to predict the coating's corrosion condition by applying a customised convolutional neural network (CNN). By extracting time-frequency features from the TENG signals and applying a custom CNN, a prediction accuracy of 99 % for corrosion classification was achieved. Furthermore, the CNN regression model predicted coating impedance values with a high coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.98), demonstrating its effectiveness in tracking corrosion progression. The developed TENG also facilitates defect localisation via a matrix electrode beneath the coating. Our approach introduces a promising real-time technology for in-situ corrosion monitoring.