Possible use of carbon nanotubes as taggants in gunpowder for small firearms cartridges

Latyshov I.V.

Educational and Scientific Complex of expert and Criminalistic Activities, Volgograd Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Volgograd, Russia, 400089

Vasil’yev V.A.

Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia

Zaporotskova I.V.

Institute of Priority Technologies, Volgograd State University, Volgograd, Russia, 400062

Ermakova T.A.

Institute of Priority Technologies, Volgograd State University, Volgograd, Russia, 400062

Druzhinin Yu.A.

Ballistics Department of the Criminalistics Centre of the Ministry of the Interior of Russia, Moscow, Russia, 125130

Afanas’ev I.B.

Laboratory of Instrumental Research Methods of Russian Federal Centre for Forensic Examination under the Ministry of Justice of Russia, Moscow, Russia, 109028

Possible use of carbon nanotubes as taggants in gunpowder for small firearms cartridges

Authors:

Latyshov I.V., Vasil’yev V.A., Zaporotskova I.V., Ermakova T.A., Druzhinin Yu.A., Afanas’ev I.B.

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Journal: Forensic Medical Expertise. 2019;62(4): 14‑18

DOI: 10.17116/sudmed20196204114

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To cite this article:

Latyshov IV, Vasil’yev VA, Zaporotskova IV, Ermakova TA, Druzhinin YuA, Afanas’ev IB. Possible use of carbon nanotubes as taggants in gunpowder for small firearms cartridges. Forensic Medical Expertise. 2019;62(4):14‑18. (In Russ.)
https://doi.org/10.17116/sudmed20196204114

Подписка 2025-2 (Forensic Medical Expertise)

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The purpose of the work is to study the possibility of using carbon nanotubes (CNT) as taggants in gun powder to provide expert differentiation of used small firearms cartridges; and to identify the main characteristics of the changes to carbon nanotubes under firing conditions, i.e. short-term exposure to high temperatures and pressures. The principal possibility of using carbon nanotube material for marking gunpowder in small firearms cartridges is stated. There is a need, in both the theory and practice of forensics, to develop such a labeling additive, one that is designed to analyze labeled cartridges and trace their use. We studied the effect of high temperatures and pressures (up to 3000—3500 ºC, 30 MPa) on the behavior of carbon nanotubes by using scanning electron microscopy. We found that the properties of carbon nanotube material — including high chemical and thermal resistance, low prevalence in nature, and a wide variety of forms and configurations — would help solve various investigative issues related to the circumstances of the use of small firearms, in particular, to determine the batch or sample of gunpowder used in the firing of a cartridge.

Keywords:

carbon nanotubes

firearms product research

ammunition marking

fire damage

Authors:

Latyshov I.V.

Educational and Scientific Complex of expert and Criminalistic Activities, Volgograd Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Volgograd, Russia, 400089

Vasil’yev V.A.

Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia

Zaporotskova I.V.

Institute of Priority Technologies, Volgograd State University, Volgograd, Russia, 400062

Ermakova T.A.

Institute of Priority Technologies, Volgograd State University, Volgograd, Russia, 400062

Druzhinin Yu.A.

Ballistics Department of the Criminalistics Centre of the Ministry of the Interior of Russia, Moscow, Russia, 125130

Afanas’ev I.B.

Laboratory of Instrumental Research Methods of Russian Federal Centre for Forensic Examination under the Ministry of Justice of Russia, Moscow, Russia, 109028

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