FSG

ANALYSIS OF PAINT CHIPS BY USING SPECTROSCOPIC

METHODS
Nur Atirah Sakinah Mohd Ali, Noor Fazliana Amir, Nurul Atikah Azmi
Department of Applied Science, University Technology MARA, Shah Alam, Malaysia
Written on 16 November 2016

Abstract: In this experiment, the similarities and differences between chosen paint chips were
study. For group 1, paint chips that come from same brand which was Proton were used. Three
different colors were chosen from Protons car which were blue, green and red. For group 2, the
variable was changed from color into brands. So, all blue paint chips were obtained from three
different brands that consist of Proton, Perodua and Honda. The analysis was conducted by using
two types of instruments which were Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) and Video Spectral
Comparator (VSC).

1. Introduction
Paint chip from vehicle contains vital
evidence in forensic field especially for
cases that involved hit and run, crime that
was committed inside a car and many more.
Usually, typical brand new automotive
refinishments consist of at least four
different layers which known as primer,
primer surface, basecoat and clear coat. The
composition of this four basic layer is
relatively different from each other.
Normally, paint chip contain a mixture of
extenders, pigments, binders and modifiers.
The pigments that give blue or green color
of the paint are mostly comes from organic
compounds while the others such as red,
yellow and white color are often produced
from inorganic compounds. Modifiers used
to control the flexibility, durability and
toughness of the paint while extenders will

adds the bulk and covering capacity. Binder

helps to stabilize the mixture and form a
film when it spread. It is a natural or
synthetic resin. When a forensic chemist
received a paint chip sample, two types of
investigations which are identifications and
classifications will be done. A few methods
will be use towards these investigations.
Firstly, the Video Spectral Comparator
(VSC). This instrument is capable to view or
record the response of paints, inks or
documents when exposed under light of
different wavelengths. The spectrum modes
can be either reflectance, absorption and
transmission. Colorimetric was used to
recognize the coloring measurement
including the brightness and chromaticity.
Next, Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR)
will be use to determine the composition of
the sample so two of them can be compare
to recognize the similarities.

2. Experimental
2.1 Instrumental

Table 3.1) Types of color and brand of

cars for the paint chip samples used.
Type 1

Thermo Nicole 6700 FTIR.

Foster & Freeman VSC 5000.
2.2 Methodology
a) Video Spectral Comparator (VSC)
The paint chips were broke into thin, small
pieces. Those samples were then put into
VSC instrument in position side to side with
the white standard tile. The spectrum of
those paint chips were measured based on
two modes of light travel which were
reflectance and absorption. The spectrum
data together with colorimetric were printed.
b) FTIR-ATR

Type 2

Car model

Color

Car model

Color

Proton

Blue

Proton

Blue

Proton

Red

Perodua

Blue

Proton

Green

Honda

Blue

Both type 1 and type 2 were analyzed by

using FTIR and VSC. So first, the results
obtained from analysis conducted for type 1
will be discussed.
Type 1 group consist of three samples of
paint chip that comes from same brand, but
relatively different color.

Those same flat paint chips were placed

facing down onto the Ge crystal. Suitable
pressure was applied to ensure that the
surface of the paint chip comes in contact
with the Ge crystal sufficiently. Careful not
to break the paint chips pieces. Then, the
wavelength of the samples was collected
from 4000-400 cm-1. The spectrum data
were printed and analyzed.
3. Result and discussion
There are two types of variable manipulated
in this experiment. The characteristics were
described below.

Image 3.1) Absorbance spectrum of type 1

Table 3.2) Data tabulation for absorbance

of type 1

Color
Blue
Red
Green

Intensity
(%)
88
100
91

max (nm)

Image 3.3) Reflectance spectrum for type

1

590
580
590

Based on the table above, it shows that blue

and green paint chip of proton absorbs the
light travel at the same maximum
wavelength. However, red color has higher
intensity than the other two which indicates
that red color are brighter.

Image 3.2) Colorimetry of absorbance for

type 1
From the colorimetric above, we can see that
the red color of proton are more higher
quality because the position of the intensity
are far from the center of colorimetric which
is white color. Green color is the most less
quality compared to the blue color.

Image 3.4) Colorimetric of reflectance for

type 1
From the image of 3.1 and 3.3, we can see
that the absorbance and reflectance spectrum
formed a mirror image of each other. It is
because according to the principal, light
absorbed are opposite to the light reflected.
Based on the reflectance colorimetric in
image 3.4, we can see that only two point of
color appears. The point of blue and red
color is overlapping at the red region. It is
because; the original color of the blue paint
chip car released by proton was actually red
color. However, the owner coated the car
with new different color which was blue.
This situation cannot be detected through
light absorption because it only involve the
outer layer of the paint chip surface, but,
with reflected of light, the original color can
be detected. When applied in forensic field
studies, it is useful to determine whether that
particular car was involved in crime scene or
nor, for example in hit and run cases.
Although the owner had change the color of
their car as a camouflage, VSC analysis can
still detect the original color.

Image 3.4) IR spectrum for type 1 (From

the top: red, green, blue)
The spectrum for red and blue are relatively
similar because the blue paint chip contain
red color at the inner layer. The broad peak
occurs in the range of 3000-3500 cm-1 that
present in all three spectrums comes from
the benzene rings that present in most
mixture of paints such as additives, binders
and pigments. In green spectrum, it has
chromium oxide that gives rise to the green
color and form intense peak at 1029.64 cm-1.
Blue spectrum contains azurite at peak
1540.18 cm-1. It must be the color of the
outer coated layer. Meanwhile, it also have
peak of iron oxide, same with red spectrum
at peak 1379.00 cm-1. Iron oxide gives red
color, it must be the original color of blue
car paint chip.
Type 2 group consist of three samples of
paint chip that have same color but comes
from different company or brand.

Image 3.5) Absorbance spectrum of type 2

Table 3.3) Data tabulation for absorbance

of type 2
Brand
Proton
Perodua
Honda

Intensity
(%)
88
98
99

max (nm)
590
590
590

Based on the table above, the maximum

wavelength absorbed by the three blue paint
chip color with different brands are exactly
the same. However, Honda brands have the
highest intensity of the absorbance followed
by Perodua brand. It shows that Honda
brand used the highest quality of the blue
color. Proton is the most low intensity which
means that the quality of their color are
slightly lower.

Image 3.6) Colorimetric of absorbance for

type 2
As shown in the colorimetric above, point of
Honda brand was the most further than the
center of white region. It means that their
blue color is very bright, intense and thick.
Proton blue color was closest to the white
region, their blue paint must have a less
bright and low intensity of blue color.

Image 3.8) Colorimetric of reflectance for

type 2
When comparing their absorption and
reflection spectrum in image 3.5 and 3.8, it
shows that these two formed a pattern that
was opposite to each other. It indicates that
both of them follow the principal proposed.
For the reflectance colorimetric, there was
one point marked at the red region. Since the
variable used was brand, all points actually
must lay in blue region. However, since the
exact same paint chip of blue proton from
type 1 was used, it also shows differentiation
in the color region due to the original color
present as explained before.

Image 3.7) Reflectance spectrum for type

2

Image 3.9) IR spectrum for type 2 (From

the top: Proton, Honda, Perodua)

For the IR spectrum, both Honda and Proton

contained broad peak of benzene rings at the
range of 3000-3500 cm-1. It also present in
Perodua type but in a little bit lower peak.
The patterns look similar since all of them
have the peak for Azurite dye around
1370.00 to 1379.00 cm-1. Honda paint chip
have a peak at 1235.83 cm-1 while Perodua
type have a peak at 1540.29 cm-1. Those
peak that only present in specific brand gave
differences between the spectrum of blue
color car. It must come from the different
types of side mixtures used by those brands
such as pigments or binders. Proton
spectrum was a little bit crowded, because it
also shows some peak of red dye.
4. Conclusion
From this experiment, it can be concluded
that different brands will obviously gave
different spectrum when analyzed with IR
due to the different components present used
by the company. Some of them might be
same, but the quantity used was absolutely
different. Their VSC spectrum were a little
bit close since VSC focused on the color
difference, but we still can detect the quality
and the most important was, either the color
of the car are original or not. Although the
previous paint layer was removed and
coated with new one, it still can be detected
by using VSC. Forensic analyst can always
differentiate and compared either the two
paint chips comes from the very same
source or not. It was proved by the

experiment of type 1, although the paint

chips comes from the very same company
and brand, individually, they are difference
due to the different color and pigmentations
used.
References
1. Michael D. T. Clark, Paints and
Pigments, Retrieved from
http://nzic.org.nz/ChemProcesses/polymers/
10D.pdf
2. Waldie, John M. (Chairman, textbook
editing committee); Surface Coatings.
Volume 1 - Raw Materials and Their Usage;
Oil and Colour Chemists' Association,
Australia; 1974, 1983
3. RRUFF Company, (2015),
Azurite, Retrieved from
http://rruff.info/Azurite/R050497