Skip to content

ASTM E2937

Definition

ASTM International standard guide for identification of paint binders by pyrolysis-GC-MS; specifies pyrolysis conditions, GC column, oven program, and diagnostic ion reporting.

Related terms

ATR (Attenuated Total Reflectance)
An FTIR sampling mode in which the sample is pressed against a diamond or ZnSe crystal and the evanescent wave probes the...
Backscattered Electron (BSE) Imaging
An SEM imaging mode sensitive to atomic number and crystallographic texture; can reveal grain-boundary elongation patterns in the sub-surface cold-worked zone after...
ENFSI EPG Protocol
European Network of Forensic Science Institutes Expert Working Group on Paint protocol; the European standard for paint comparison examination sequence and reporting.
FTIR Microspectroscopy
Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy collected from a microscope-focused spot of 10-20 µm diameter; the primary technique for paint binder characterisation.
IRUG Database
Infrared and Raman Users Group spectral database; covers historic pigments, artists' materials, and museum-object coatings. Primary reference for art-investigation paint analysis.
Likelihood Ratio Reporting
A Bayesian framework for reporting paint-comparison conclusions, expressing the probability of the observed data given the hypothesis of common source versus the...
Microtome Cross-Section
A thin section of a paint chip cut perpendicular to the layer planes, allowing each layer to be examined separately by microscopy...
Py-GC-MS
Pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Thermal decomposition of a paint sample, separation of fragments, mass spectral identification. Definitive identification of polymer binders.
Pyrogram
The gas chromatographic trace of volatile fragments produced by pyrolysis of a polymer; acts as the polymer-class fingerprint in Py-GC-MS.
Raman Microspectroscopy
A vibrational spectroscopy technique using a focused laser beam to excite molecular vibrations in an ink sample. Non-destructive. Primary method for toner...
SEM-EDS
Scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy; provides elemental composition of each paint layer at 1-5 µm spatial resolution.

Explained in

Your journey to becoming a forensic professional starts here.

Practice with mock tests, learn from structured notes, and get your questions answered by a global forensic community, all in one place.