Identification and Comparison of Electrical Tapes Using Instrumental and Statistical Techniques: II. Organic Composition of the Tape Backing and Adhesive

• NCJ Number: 226553
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 54 Issue: 2 Dated: March 2009 Pages: 328-338
• Author(s): John V. Goodpaster Ph.D.; Amanda B. Sturdevant M.S.; Kristen L. Andrews B.S.; Eileen M. Briley M.S.; Leanora Brun-Conti B.S.
• Date Published: March 2009
• Length: 11 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Portions of this paper were presented at the 59th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, February 19-24, 2007, in San Antonio, TX.

Annotation

This study examined the organic composition of electrical tape as a complementary means of distinguishing tape brands in addition to a determination of the microtexture and elemental composition of the backing of electrical tapes.

Abstract

In separate studies, two fragments of blast-damaged tape were correctly assigned to their brand of origin, and discriminant analysis was used to quantitatively associate or exclude tape samples from two bombing cases. The accuracy rates for energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIS) were similar (86 percent and 88 percent); the same brands were confused when attempting discriminant analysis (DA). DA based on FTIR analysis of the adhesive was significantly more accurate (97 percent). A direct comparison of EDS and FTIR using 47 rolls of tape with clear adhesive indicated that FTIR analysis was generally superior to EDS. A postblast study demonstrated that DA could correctly associate blast-damaged tape to its brand of origin, particularly when both EDS and FTIR were used to cross-check such a conclusion. The descriptions of materials and methods address tape exemplars, instrumental analysis, data analysis, method validation, and postblast study. 8 tables, 13 figures, and 12 references