The use of electrochemical noise methods (ENM) to examine organic coatings was first performed in 1986 by Skerry and Eden. The technique uses the spontaneous voltage and current noise that occurs between two
identical coated electrodes in electrolyte immersion to determine resistance properties of the coating as well as low frequency “noise” impedance data for the system. It is a non-perturbing measurement, and one that allows judgement and ranking of coating systems performance. Our paper will summarize work in our lab over the past five years on the use of ENM for examining the properties of organic coatings and pretreatment over metals. We have studied marine coatings, pipeline coatings, coil coatings, electrodeposited organic coatings (e-coats),
and aircraft coatings by this method and found it to be useful, especially when used in conjunction with impedance and other electrochemical techniques. Key Words: electrochemical noise
methoak, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, organic coatings, metal pretreatment, noise instrumentation, cold-rolled steel, Al 2024 T-3, Al 7 A075–T-6