Incorporating hydrogels into fingermark development: indicative viscosities for preserving ridge detail on paper surfaces

Abstract

Water-based fingermark development treatments for paper have long been held back by loss of ridge detail due to diffusion. Viscous hydrogels (≥2224 cP) show promise as a green method of delivering chemical developers that inhibits diffusion, thereby preserving fingermark ridge detail. This is demonstrated here with starch and xanthan gum hydrogels applied to iodine-fumed fingermarks.