Application of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry to automobile paint analysis.

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) provides a method of elemental analysis that can distinguish among automotive paint samples of the same or nearly the same color. TOF-SIMS survey spectra were employed to determine the relative abundances of elements in the surface layers of the paint chips. The depth profile of paint samples permitted the analysis of small paint chips, the reproducible results for specific elements, and the identification of each car paint. Seventy-three samples of blue, red, white, and silver automobile paints from the major manufacturers in Korea were investigated using high resolution TOF-SIMS technique. It was found that paints of the same color produced by different manufacturers could be distinguished by this technique. TOF-SIMS is a reliable, nondestructive, and small area analyzing method for characterization of the elemental composition of automotive paint chips.