Research explores lifting fingerprints from polymer notes

Team of scientists trial technique to ‘lift’ fingerprint from polymer surface

bankofengland-newfiver
The Bank of England's new polymer note will be circulated in September this year

A team of scientists from Loughborough University in the UK has developed a new method of detecting fingerprints on the surface of polymer banknotes, in conjunction with the Bank of England.

The university's deputy head of chemistry Paul Kelly and his team found they can lift fingerprints from the surface of the notes using elemental copper deposited via a "highly sensitive technique" known as vacuum metal detection (VMD).

"Our preliminary study into this method of fingermark recovery has

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