A Preliminary Study on Vacuum Metal Deposition as a Standalone Method for Enhancement of Fingermarks on Ballistic Brass Materials |
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| Authors: | George Christofidis MSc Joanne Morrissey MSc Jason W Birkett PhD |
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| Institution: | 1. School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Faculty of Science, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF U.K.;2. Department of Biomedical and Forensic Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Anglia Ruskin University, East Road, Cambridge, CB1 1PT U.K.;3. School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Faculty of Science, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF U.K.Corresponding author: Jason W. Birkett, Ph.D. E‐mail: |
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| Abstract: | In order to assess the efficacy of vacuum metal deposition (VMD) as a technique to develop fingermarks on ballistic metallic surfaces, a preliminary study using six donors (three male & three female) was conducted. Using a sequential metal deposition process, two metal combinations were studied—gold/zinc and silver/zinc. Results indicate the potential of this technique, by developing identifiable fingermarks on brass metal disks aged from a few days up to more than a month old. As the development of fingermarks on fired (brass) cartridge cases is an area of interest, a further study was conducted where a total of 20 fingermarks were deposited on cases. After firing, second level fingermark characteristics were successfully observed on cartridge cases highlighting its potential as a fingermark enhancement method for ballistic brass materials. Further work is required to fully evaluate the VMD process and its reliability as a fingermark enhancing method on ballistic surfaces. |
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| Keywords: | forensic science vacuum metal deposition fired cartridges fingermarks fingerprints ballistics |
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