A research team led by Li Zhen and Xie Yujun from Tianjin University is reported to have developed a new type of fingerprint developing agent that can achieve high-quality fingerprint image development and shed light on identity authentication and criminal investigation.The research results have been published in the authoritative journal Advanced Materials.

Fingerprint recognition technology is currently widely used in criminal investigation, identity recognition and other fields. It is common for actual crime scenes to leave only a few fingerprints, making it challenging to identify suspects or gather evidence. That's why the development of new fingerprint developing agents like the one created by the team at Tianjin University is so important. By improving the quality and resolution of these few fingerprints, investigators can more easily identify suspects and gather essential evidence to help solve cases.

The new amphiphilic latent fingerprint developer proposed by TJU team can change its luminescent color when grounded in the air, followed by a self-recovery to its original color. Using water as the solvent, the developer is able to avoid damage to the fine structure of fingerprints and guarantee good developing effects on various matrices.

According to the research team, the new developing agent has several advantages, including low working concentration and short developing time. Additionally, the resolution of the fingerprint images obtained with this latent fingerprint developer is extremely high, which is particularly useful for visualizing micro-details of the third-level fingerprint features. Together, these benefits demonstrate the potential of the new developing agent for revolutionizing the way fingerprint evidence is collected and analyzed in criminal investigations.

By Eva Yin