Covalent Organic Polymers for Rapid Fluorescence Imaging\nof Latent Fingerprints

Abstract

Rapid, simple and highly sensitive identification of latent fingerprints\n(LFPs) is an important issue related to national security and recognition\nof potential crimes. Here, we synthesize a series of covalent organic\npolymers (COPs) with colorful fluorescence (from blue to green, pale\nyellow, bright yellow, and red) and further investigate their performance\nfor fluorescence imaging of LFPs. Results indicate that the COP materials\ncan be used as fluorescence probes to rapidly visualize the precision\nsubstructure of LFPs within 5 s by simply spraying method, and tunable\nfluorescent color makes the COP probes have a high contrast and low\ninterference for fluorescence imaging of LFPs on different substrates\n(including glass slides, paper, aluminum foil, plastic, ironware)\nin different backgrounds. We also further reveal the mechanism of\nCOP probes for fluorescence imaging of LFPs. Importantly, the COP\nprobes show high stability and could successfully achieve the fluorescence\nimaging for LFPs after aged for 45 days or washed by water. In short,\nthis is the first report on the porous polymers for fluorescence imaging\nof LFPs and expected that it can be also applied to the fluorescence\nimaging of other fields.