Overview of bimetallic nanomaterials used for visualization of latent fingerprints on various surfaces

Abstract

This review focuses on the current trends in the use of doped metallic nanomaterials in forensic science for the development and detection of latent fingerprints (LFPs) on various surfaces which provide better fingerprint image quality. The advantages and important results of studies conducted on latent fingerprints detection with various doped metallic nanomaterials are critically discussed. We also glimpse on fluorescent nanoparticles that have succeeded in producing high-quality fingerprint images which lead to the extraction of all three levels of fingerprint features. A few metallic nanomaterials used for latent fingerprints detection did not produce high-quality fingerprint images failing extraction of all three levels of fingerprint features. To overcome this forensic problem more research is needed to improve the latent fingerprint detection abilities of doped metallic nanomaterials.