Lifetime Based Pressure Sensitive Paint Systems: Issues and Solutions

Pressure Sensitive Paint (PSP) issues that can lead to errors in lifetime and radiometric based pressure measurements are examined. Paint parameters that are specifically investigated include probe concentration, paint thickness, and probe excitation wavelength. Results of this study indicate that i) relative probe concentrations above (1 g PtTFPP in 200 g of polymer) display concentration quenching, ii) lifetime based measurements are more sensitive to concentration quenching than radiometric, iii) copper-treated PtTFPP displays a higher sensitivity to concentration quenching than does the acid treated form, iv) both lifetime and radiometric techniques are insensitive to paint thickness above 35 mum and v) 397-nm LEDs are optimum for exciting pressure paints containing PtTFPP.