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Methods and devices for electrochemically determining metal fatigue status

  • US 6,026,691 A
  • Filed: 06/30/1995
  • Issued: 02/22/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A device for determining a fatigue status of a metallic specimen which comprises,(a) an array containing a plurality of cells being electrically connected to said specimen, each cell having a reference and a counter electrode;

  • (b) a potentiostat for each cell, being connected to said electrodes of each cell, for controlling a voltage applied across each cell, and carrying a sensing current from each cell;

    (c) an amplifier for each potentiostat, being connected to each said potentiostat, for amplifying the sensing current;

    (d) a multiplexer, being connected to said amplifiers, for sequentially sensing the amplified sensing current from each of the plurality of cells;

    (e) an analog-to-digital converter, being connected to the multiplexer, for converting the amplified sensing current from each of the plurality of cells from an analog to a digital format;

    (f) a microcontroller, being connected to said converter, for recording and storing the digital form of the currents;

    wherein said currents being provided by the plurality of cells determine a relative fatigue status of the specimen;

    wherein the microcontroller produces digital control signals for controlling the potentiostats;

    (g) a digital-to-analog converter, being connected to said microcontroller, for converting the digital control signals from a digital to an analog format; and

    (h) a second multiplexer, being connected to the digital-to-analog converter, for applying the analog form of the control signals to each of the potentiostats.

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