SKP470

The HORIBA SKP470 is a scanning Kelvin probe (SKP) system that maps the Volta potential distribution across metallic and coated metallic surfaces under ambient or controlled atmosphere conditions — without requiring the sample to be immersed in liquid electrolyte. The Kelvin probe technique measures the contact potential difference between a vibrating reference probe (a Pt-Ir needle) and the sample surface, which is directly related to the local work function of the surface material. On metals and alloys, the local Volta potential reflects differences in corrosion tendency: noble regions (cathodic, higher potential) and active regions (anodic, lower potential) are mapped as a two-dimensional potential distribution image. Since corrosion requires an anode-cathode potential difference to drive galvanic action, the SKP470 map directly predicts which microstructural features will corrode preferentially. Crucially, SKP measurements are performed in air (or controlled atmosphere) rather than in liquid, enabling measurements on samples where electrolyte contact would disrupt the surface condition, and allowing studies of buried interfaces (e.g., beneath organic coatings) where sub-coating corrosion can be detected long before visual signs of delamination appear. The SKP470 module mounts on the M470 scanning workstation and uses the high-precision stage for accurate lateral positioning. NewRoad provides the HORIBA SKP470 in Israel for corrosion science, surface science, coatings evaluation, and aerospace materials research requiring spatially resolved Volta potential mapping.