Overcoat

Abstract

According to embodiments, a method of forming a coating on an article includes forming a coating including an emitting layer. The emitting layer includes an elemental isotope with a known property that can be measured by a spectroscopic method. The elemental isotope provides a distinguishing identification tag for the coating, and the coating providing a layer of protection to the substrate. The method further includes depositing the coating on a surface of a substrate of the article. The elemental isotope is a stable isotope, an unstable isotope, a neutron scattering isotope, a neutron capturing isotope, or combinations thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming a coating on an article, the method comprising:
 forming a coating comprising an emitting layer, the emitting layer comprising an elemental isotope with a known property that can be measured by a spectroscopic method, the elemental isotope providing a distinguishing identification tag for the coating, and the coating providing a layer of protection to the substrate; and   depositing the coating on a surface of a substrate of the article;   wherein the elemental isotope is a stable isotope, an unstable isotope, a neutron scattering isotope, a neutron capturing isotope, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is deposited by a cold spraying method. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is deposited by painting, powder coating, primer method, epoxy method, RTV method, thermal spraying, vapor deposition, liquid deposition, electrolytic coating, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating further includes an attenuating layer disposed on the emitting layer that protects the emitting layer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the elemental isotope is an unstable isotope. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the unstable isotope is a gamma ray emitting isotope. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises micron-sized particles or nano-sized particles comprising the elemental isotope. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the elemental isotope is a blend of stable and unstable isotopes of an element that differs from a natural abundance. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the spectroscopic method is mass spectrometry, radiation detection, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the distinguishing identification tag indicates where the coating was made, when the coating was made, what the coating comprises, provides identifying information, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . A method of determining a need for preventative maintenance on an article, the method comprising:
 performing a spectroscopic analysis on a portion of the article comprising a coating, the coating comprising an emitting layer, the emitting layer comprising an elemental isotope that can be measured by the spectroscopic analysis, and the coating providing a layer of protection to the substrate;   comparing a signal received from the spectroscopic analysis to a calibration curve; and   determining, based on a comparison, whether the coating protecting the substrate has been worn and therefore whether the article needs maintenance;   wherein the elemental isotope is a stable isotope, an unstable isotope, a neutron scattering isotope, a neutron capturing isotope, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the elemental isotope is an emissive tag. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the emissive tag is a gamma ray emitting isotope. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the coating comprises micron-sized particles or nano-sized particles comprising the elemental isotope. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the coating further comprises an attenuating layer arranged on the emitting layer. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the attenuating layer protects the emitting layer, and the signal received from the spectroscopic analysis increases as the attenuating layer wears and exposes the emitting layer. 
     
     
         17 . A coating of an article, comprising:
 an emitting layer arranged on a substrate of the article, the emitting layer comprising an elemental isotope with a known property that can be measured by a spectroscopic method, the elemental isotope providing a distinguishing identification tag for the coating, and the coating providing a layer of protection to the substrate; and   an attenuating layer arranged on the emitting layer, the attenuating layer protecting the emitting layer;   wherein the elemental isotope is a stable isotope, an unstable isotope, a neutron scattering isotope, a neutron capturing isotope, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         18 . The coating of  claim 17 , wherein the emitting layer comprises micon sized or nano sized emitting particles. 
     
     
         19 . The coating of  claim 18 , wherein the attenuating layer comprises micron sized or nano sized particles. 
     
     
         20 . The coating of  claim 17 , wherein the emitting layer comprises gamma ray emitting particles or x-ray emitting particles.