Abstract
Human fingerprint friction ridge deposits induce local Volta potential variations on a range of technologically important metals including iron, copper, aluminium and brass, which can be spatially mapped at high resolution using a scanning Kelvin probe (SKP). Because the Volta potential patterns principally derive from a depassivation of the metal surface by inorganic salts in human sweat, fingerprints can be visualized by SKP even after exposure to high temperatures. This property is exploited in the use of SKP to visualize fingerprint patterns on items of forensic significance, such as fired cartridge cases, where the loss of organic fingerprint components upon firing typically renders conventional chemical development techniques ineffective.
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