Global unsteady pressure-sensitive paint measurements of a moving shock wave using thin-layer chromatography

Unsteady pressure measurements using pressure-sensitive paints (PSP) requires a very porous substrate to carry the luminophore molecules. The porosity increases the probability of oxygen quenching and leads to a faster response time. Obtaining these porous material to apply the PSP can be a tedious process requiring specialised equipment and strong chemical background. The focus of the current study is to demonstrate the feasibility of using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) plates along with a simple paint formulation, with Ruthenium as the luminophore and Dichloromethane as the solvent. The TLC–PSP results show good correlation with the schlieren images, the shock front deceleration caused with the interaction of the grooves on the bottom wall. The global pressure measurements are also in agreement with point pressure measurements located at the centreline of the test section.