Drexel University

United States of America As Represented by the Food & Drug Administration

Frederick Prout

Richard B Beard

Robert E Schmukler

Kambiz Pourrezaei

Shengke Zeng

Herman P Schwan

Jin Park

Siddharth Deliwala

Frank M Kepics

Allen Rothwarf

The invention includes apparatus and method for detecting defects in various barrier materials including surgical gloves and food packaging. Voltage is applied across electrodes and a barrier material and the voltage measured and compared with voltage control measurements for the same barrier material without a defect. Sensitivity of measurements is increased by adjusting partial pressure across the barrier material which is subjected to the passage of an ionized gas detected by suitable instrumentation.

Detection of defects in protective barriers

A method and apparatus for the non-destructive testing of a protective baer material. In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises applying an alternating electrical current across the protective barrier material for establishing a conductivity, G, of the protective barrier material and/or a quality factor, Q, of the protective barrier material. The conductivity, G, and/or the quality factor, Q, are measured at more than one frequency. The quality factor and/or conductivity measurements so obtained at the more than one frequency are compared to predetermined quality factor and/or conductivity limits.

Method and apparatus for testing a protective barrier material for

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Huntington Valley, PA, United States of America

Frederick Prout