Method Development and Validation of Comparative Finished Fiber Analysis Using Nano-Sampling Cryomicrotomy and Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry

This proposal is part 1 of a multi-part program. It will focus on method development to establish more rigorous standard methods of analysis for finished fibers with negligible nano- or micro-level destruction of the fiber, thereby essentially having an insignificant negative impact on the preservation of evidence. This will be achieved via sub-micron level sample removal using cryomicrotomy (microscopic cold cutting with a diamond blade) followed by Time-Of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) analysis of the surface and cross-section of the pre-dyed fibers.

ca/ncf