Research Paper Forensic Science Volume : 4 | Issue : 7 | July 2014 | ISSN - 2249-555X

Forensic Examination of Paint

Keywords Paint, Binders, Pigments.

Mr. Krunal N. Jariwala
Assistant Professor, Institute of Forensic Science, Mumbai-32
ABSTRACT Paint is found as trace evidence. The paint is obtained from the scene of crime in number of ways depending
upon the mechanism of contact and nature of the surface. The paint is found either in chip or smear form. The
paint as trace evidence is obtained in vehicular accidents, hit and run cases, theft etc. The paint can be obtained on tools,
structures, vehicles or from clothing of victims from the scene of crime.

Introduction The additives are mixed to carry out special jobs, such as
Paint can be defined as a material used for the purpose of improvement of surface appearance. The substances can be
coating the surface. The aim of application of paint on the plasticizers, absorbers etc. The most commonly used plasti-
substance is to protect them from external factors such as cizers are diethyl phthalate and dibutylphthalate.
moisture, heat, oxygen of air, snow, rain and ultraviolet radia-
tion. Also the paints are applied to hide the old paint or to Automotive Paints:
hide the dents or any damage if present such as scratches, The paint coat of the body of a vehicle consists of number
abrasion. The paint is applicable to the substances such as of successively layers. These differs each other from their in-
wood, metals, plastics etc. The paints are also used for the gredients. The paint differs with car and the brands. The
purpose of decoration. The different types of paints that are paint coverings on renovated car have more number of lay-
used commonly are Oil paints, Varnish, Enamel, Latex Paint, ers. The identification and comparative studies of paint chips
Water-Reducible Paints, Alkyds, Automotive paints, Epoxy are done by studying its morphology. The more number of
Paints, Polyester-Epoxy paints, Acrylic-Epoxy paints, Shellac, layers, more numbers of features can be studied.
Aluminium paint, Acrylic-Urethane coatings etc.
Analysis of Paint
The paint has variety of components. Each component have In Forensic Science, the aim of paint analysis is to find its
different role. The principal components of paints are pig- source of origin by comparing the questioned sample with
ments, binders, solvents and additives. The majority of the the standard. The paint can be found from any sources pre-
components of paints are organic in nature along with inor- sent on scene of crime such as tools, walls, glass and glass
ganic components. The paint in forensic science are analysed fragments, fingers, nails, roads, motor vehicles etc. for the
for these components for the identification. The examination better analysis and good results the proper sample should
of paint is carried out by studying its physical and chemical be available. For the collection of samples proper equip-
properties. ments should be used such as sharp edge knife for scrap-
ing, white paper funnels for the chip collection, sealing of
Composition of Paint paint chip in container etc. The samples can be obtained
Pigments: from the areas like wall, ceiling, door, window, automobile
Pigments are organic or inorganic in nature. They are ground- door etc. The known samples collected should have all lay-
ed particles. The main function of pigment is to impart col- ers of undamaged paint film. The known samples should
our, opacity and gloss. The pigments are dispersed in a be packaged carefully. Sometimes paint flakes are also
solvent. The pigments can be red, black, white , yellow and collected for the purpose of analysis. Paint flakes are also
blue. Organic pigment belongs to class of azo compounds removed by several methods or by using instruments like
such as mono-azo compounds, di-azo compounds, azo metal blade, knife etc. or by gently impacting on opposite side of
complex etc. Inorganic pigments include carbon black, tita- the painted surface.
nium dioxide, iron oxides, chromium oxides etc.
Microscopic Techniques
Binders: Initial examination of paint is carried out by stereomicro-
The binders are the substance that holds pigment to the sur- scope. The stereomicroscope is used to determine the num-
face. Binders can be obtained naturally from vegetable oils, ber, sequence, colour, thickness and texture of each layer in
resins, gums etc. or are synthesized chemically. The binders paint. The cross section of paint is revealed by cutting the
introduce properties like resistance to corrosion, flexibility, paint chip perpendicular to the surface by using the micro-
hardness and protection to U.V radiation. The different types tone. Polarized Light Microscope is used to study the opti-
of binders are drying oils, alkyd resins, vinyl emulsions, epoxy cal properties of transparent sample such as pigments using
resins etc. the transmitted polarized light. Polarized Light Microscopy
can be used for both identification and comparison purpose.
Solvents: Plane polarized light is used to observe colour, pleochroism,
Solvents are substances that are used to make binders solu- opacity and to determine refractive index.
ble but it should not get polymerize. For resins many organic
solvents are used but commonly used is turpentine. The Fluorescence microscope is used to observe the visible fluo-
solvent provides viscosity to paints. Solvent makes the ap- rescence of opaque and transparent samples. Fluorescence
plication of paint east to substrates. Solvents like alcohols, occurs when light absorb the material is re-emitted with long-
water, ketones, terpenes, esters, aromatic hydrocarbons etc. er wavelength. In this microscope, light reaching the sample
are used in paints. and light reaching the eyepiece is regulated by many filters.
Many pigments, binders, coatings are fluorescent. Fluores-
Additives: cence microscopy is used to distinguish layers and particles
These substances are added in small quantities to paint. that appear similar in visible light.

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 Research Paper Volume : 4 | Issue : 7 | July 2014 | ISSN - 2249-555X

Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray peaks. The Raman Spectroscopy is very useful in the identifi-
Analysis is used for the qualitative analysis of the elements cation of car paints.
present in the pigments. The technique is very useful to the
study the morphology of the paint. The depth from which Micro-chemical Test
X-rays are produced depends on beam energy, composition The test is also known as solvent test. It is based on reac-
and density of sample and energy of X-rays. The mapping of tions of pigments and binder with the oxidizing and reducing
elements across the cross section of multi-layer paint is useful agents. The test is destructive in nature. The test is applied to
in explaining the elemental distribution in paints. The SEM- both known and questioned sample. Reactions such as layer
EDS gives information regarding number of layers, thickness dissolution, swelling, softening, filler effervescence, and floc-
of layers, distribution and size of pigments and particles and culation and colour changes are noted.
presence of foreign substance.
Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy
Spectroscopic Techniques Py-GC/MS is a destructive technique that uses the pyrolytic
Spectroscopy is the interaction of light with the matter. The breakdown of products to differentiate the types of binders
most powerful and popular technique for the examination of and plasticizers in paints .The total ion chromatogram also
paint is Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Even small gives the information regarding the additives, pigments and
samples can be easily examined by the IR spectroscopy. The impurities. The automobile paints are high complex polymer
technique is useful for the identification of polymer binder, mixtures having the multiple layers of polymers. With the
pigments and fillers present in each layer of the paint. Both high complex polymers, certain substances such as oxides
organic and inorganic components can be detected using of metals are added to introduce the property of opacity,
the IR spectroscopy. The pigments and fillers will give small this make the paint samples difficult to analyse using nor-
speaks in spectra. However identification of organic pig- mal techniques. The Pyrolysis of the sample decreases the
ments is difficult due to their low concentration in the paint. polymeric content leaving behind inorganic constituents. The
presence or absence of monomers helps in distinguishing
The X-ray Fluorescence technique is also a good technique the paint sample from others. The technique is also useful in
for the paint examination. It is based on the emission of char- determination of approximate age of paints.
acteristics X-ray by the sample on excitation by X-ray source.
The XRF gives the information of elemental data of single Discussion
or multiple layers. The variation in thickness of layers may The paint samples are mostly obtained as trace evidence.
cause the variations in the X-rays ratios of element present; So it is advisable to first apply non-destructive techniques
this technique is used for both for the purpose of comparison for the examination. For this purpose the microscopy and
and qualitation. The XRF is also very useful for the elemental spectroscopy techniques are good. The SEM, Polarized Light
analysis of lead in paint. microscope Fluorescence Microscope is very useful to study
morphology of paint. The IR spectroscopy and XRF spectros-
Raman spectroscopy can also be used for the identification copy is useful for the determination of constituents of paints
of binders, pigments, additive and coatings. Raman spec- and also for the elemental analysis of lead in the paint while
troscopy is useful for the analysis of inorganic pigments and Raman spectroscopy is very good for the analysis of inorgan-
additives because like Far-IR spectroscopy, it can provide ic pigments and additives. The pyrolysis gas chromatography
information about low frequency Vibrational transition. Ra- technique is very useful for the identification of binders and
man spectroscopy has advantage over IR spectroscopy. The plasticizers however the technique is destructive in nature.
organic and inorganic pigments are infrared active but they The micro-chemical test is the presumptive test which can
are very difficult to distinguish as their absorptions are low. be used to determine the chemical composition of paint or
The pigments have strong absorption in Raman Spectrosco- presence of inorganic material presence in paint based upon
py. Raman peaks are sharp and they do not overlap unlike IR the results obtained in test.

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