%0 Journal Article
%T Using Paint to Investigate Fires: An ATR-IR Study of the Degradation of Paint Samples Upon Heating
%J Journal of forensic sciences
%D 2013
%A Roberts, Kelly
%A Almond, Matthew J.
%A Bond, John W.
%V 58
%N 2
%P 495-499
%X Fire investigation is a challenging area for the forensic investigator. The aim of this work was to use spectral changes to paint samples to estimate the temperatures to which a paint has been heated. Five paint samples (one clay paint, two car paints, one metallic paint, and one matt emulsion) have been fully characterized by a combination of attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-IR), Raman, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction. The thermal decomposition of these paints has been investigated by means of ATR-IR and thermal gravimetric analysis. Clear temperature markers are observed in the ATR-IR spectra namely: loss of ν(C = O) band, >300°C; appearance of water bands on cooling, >500°C; alterations to ν(Si-O) bands due to dehydration of silicate clays, >700°C; diminution of ν(CO(3) ) and δ(CO(3) ) modes of CaCO(3) , >950°C. We suggest the possible use of portable ATR-IR for nondestructive, in situ analysis of paints.<p /><p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I John Wiley and Sons
%@ 0022-1198
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.12049