The influence of polymer type, print donor and age on the quality of fingerprints developed on plastic substrates using vacuum metal deposition

Jones, N; Mansour, D; Stoilovic, M; Lennard, C; Roux, C

The influence of polymer type, print donor and age on the quality of fingerprints developed on plastic substrates using vacuum metal deposition

Jones, N Mansour, D Stoilovic, M Lennard, C

Roux, C

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Forensic Science International, 2001, 124 (2-3), pp. 167 - 177
Issue Date:: 2001-12-27

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Jones, N	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Mansour, D	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Stoilovic, M	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Lennard, C https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9164-7103	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Roux, C https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3610-420X	en_US
dc.date.issued	2001-12-27	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Forensic Science International, 2001, 124 (2-3), pp. 167 - 177	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0379-0738	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/3248
dc.description.abstract	This study investigated fingerprint development on five different polymer substrates using vacuum metal deposition (VMD). The conditions required for optimum development are shown to depend on a number of factors. No one set of conditions will result in good development in all situations. Polymer type has been confirmed as a major factor in determining the types of development that will occur and the optimum VMD conditions required. For more consistently successful VMD development, polymer type should be determined before selecting conditions. While polymer type is a key factor in determining optimum development conditions, there may be variation of the optimum conditions within a polymer type, most likely due to the presence of additives in the plastic. The heaviness of a latent print, i.e. amount of residue that constitutes the print, also affects the VMD conditions required. The donor, manner of deposition, and age of a print affect the heaviness of the deposit. The heavier the print, the higher the gold count necessary for successful VMD development. The occurrence of 'empty prints' (i.e. zinc deposition on the general background but not on or between the print ridges) was found to be related to polymer type and print heaviness. Heavy prints on PVC and PET are the most likely to be 'empty' after VMD treatment. The development of empty prints may be due to the diffusion of print residue into the print valleys. Pre-treatment with cyanoacrylate fuming was also found to affect VMD development. In particular, it was shown that cyanoacrylate pre-treatment was beneficial for print development on PET and PVC. The results of this study were used to formulate guidelines for use as an aid by laboratories using VMD in casework. Copyright © 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Forensic Science International	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/S0379-0738(01)00593-X	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Legal & Forensic Medicine	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Gold	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Polymers	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Dermatoglyphics	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Forensic Medicine	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Time Factors	en_US
dc.title	The influence of polymer type, print donor and age on the quality of fingerprints developed on plastic substrates using vacuum metal deposition	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	2-3	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	124	en_US
utslib.for	0699 Other Biological Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	0399 Other Chemical Sciences	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CFS - Centre for Forensic Science
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	2-3	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	124	en_US

Abstract:

This study investigated fingerprint development on five different polymer substrates using vacuum metal deposition (VMD). The conditions required for optimum development are shown to depend on a number of factors. No one set of conditions will result in good development in all situations. Polymer type has been confirmed as a major factor in determining the types of development that will occur and the optimum VMD conditions required. For more consistently successful VMD development, polymer type should be determined before selecting conditions. While polymer type is a key factor in determining optimum development conditions, there may be variation of the optimum conditions within a polymer type, most likely due to the presence of additives in the plastic. The heaviness of a latent print, i.e. amount of residue that constitutes the print, also affects the VMD conditions required. The donor, manner of deposition, and age of a print affect the heaviness of the deposit. The heavier the print, the higher the gold count necessary for successful VMD development. The occurrence of 'empty prints' (i.e. zinc deposition on the general background but not on or between the print ridges) was found to be related to polymer type and print heaviness. Heavy prints on PVC and PET are the most likely to be 'empty' after VMD treatment. The development of empty prints may be due to the diffusion of print residue into the print valleys. Pre-treatment with cyanoacrylate fuming was also found to affect VMD development. In particular, it was shown that cyanoacrylate pre-treatment was beneficial for print development on PET and PVC. The results of this study were used to formulate guidelines for use as an aid by laboratories using VMD in casework. Copyright © 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.

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