The cost associated with maintenance and field replacement of military assets is often
reduced by the application of temporary coating systems that protect the military vehicles
against corrosion. The performance of these coatings can be assessed using coating
degradation sensors. This paper addresses the laboratory studies of an impedance based
coating degradation sensor that utilizes wireless, mote based technology. The ability of the
coating degradation sensor to assess coating failures in simulated coastal environments is
demonstrated. The results are compared with those of field exposure at Daytona Beach, FL.
The effects of the sensor design and measurement parameters on the sensitivity of the sensor
are explored. Examples of the sensor output to determine failures of corrosion preventive
compounds (CPCs) in case of boldly exposed surfaces and occluded sites will be presented.
Keywords: corrosion preventive compounds, wireless sensors, electrochemical impedance