CLPEX Chat Board

I was asked a question by someone and I couldn't really answer so I'm hoping someone here does know.

What is the difference between sticky-side powder and regular powder? I know the difference in their uses but what's different about the actual powder component?

We normally make our own sticky-side powder suspension (Lightning Liquinox formula) but have some sticky-side powders in our cabinet that haven't been ever used and I'm curious to know how they differ from my black Lightning powder.

You can take a look at the MSDS sheets (Sirchie, Lightning doesn't say anything):
Black sticky side: http://d1zh4ok0q8k7dm.cloudfront.net/me ... p50d_2.pdf : iron oxide (100 % ?)
Black powder : http://d1zh4ok0q8k7dm.cloudfront.net/me ... p698_2.pdf : iron oxide (66%) and lycopodium (33 %)

Although several other mixtures can be possible for black powder. "Fingerprint Mechanics" by Walter Scott (1951) is a good source for all kinds of fingerprint powder mixtures.

All the best,

Gerrit