~ How INK works??? ~

Everyday when we study, when we work, we write with pen…

But, do you know how pen work?

Today, I just want to write something about gel pen here…
In more details, I just want to discover what inside the gel pen ink?????

Gel Pen

A gel pen uses ink in which pigment is suspended in a water-based gel. Because the ink is thick and opaque, it shows up more clearly on dark or slick surfaces than the typical inks used in ballpoint or felt tips pens. They can be used for many types of writing and illustration.

The general design of a gel pen is similar to that of a regular rollerball pen, with a barrel containing the writing mechanism and a cap, and a reservoir filled with ink. The barrels can be created in many different sizes and designs; some have finger grips of rubber or plastic. The size of the nib or pen tip ranges from 0.25 mm to 1.5 mm.

Inks for Gel Pen

The main advantage of gel ink is its high viscocity, which supports a higher proportion of pigments in the medium. The pigments are typically copper phthalocyanine and iron oxides, and the gel is made up of water and biopolymers, such as xanthan gum, as well as some types of polyacrylate thickeners. The pigments are opaque, and gel pens are available in a rainbow of bright and pastel colours.

Copper Phthalocyanine

Copper phthalocyanine dyes are produced by introducing solubilizing groups, such as one or more sulfonic acid functions in CPC (Cetylpyridinium chloride) structure. These dyes find extensive use in various areas of textile dyeing (Direct dyes for cotton), for spin dyeing and in the paper industry.

Copper Phthalocyanine structural formula

Iron oxides

Iron oxides are chemical compunds composed of iron and oxygen. Altogether, there are sixteen known ison oxides and oxyhydroxides.

--FeO, iron(II) oxides, (wustite)
--Fe3O4, iron(II,III) oxides( magnetite)
--Fe2O3, iron(III) oxides , (Hematite)
- α-Fe2O3, hematites
- β-Fe2O3
- γ-Fe2O3, maghemite
- ε-Fe2O3

Xanthan gum

Xanthan gum is a polyssacharide used as a food additive and rheology modifier.
One of the most remarkable properties of xanthan gum is its capability of producing a large increase in the viscocity of a liquid by adding a very small quantity of gum, on the order of one percent.

xanthum gum sample

Polyacrylates (Acrylate polymer)

An acrylate polymer belongs to a group of polymers which could be referred to generally as plastics. They are noted for their transparency and resistance to breakage and elasticity. Also commonly known as acrylics or polyacrylates.

Used

--Sodium polyacrylate -water soluble thickeners
--Super glue" is a formulation of cyanoacrylate.
--Polyacrylate emulsion, are used as binder for outdoor and indoor "latex" house paints.

Polyacrylate structural formula

Ballpoint pens use a paste ink based on dye solute in an alcohol solvent. Compared to ballpoint pens, gel pens:

--Create a bolder line
--Smudge less
--Have occasional skips, due to the ball being less evenly coated with ink
--Use more ink, leading to more frequent refills or replacements

For gel pen, we normally can refill it after we finish the ink, but if you use ballpoints pen, you cannot do this. For me , this is quite convenience^^

Here are some gel pen photos.

Most common one- PILOT Gel Pen

Parker gel pen and ink (present for daddy…haha^^)

Although i just discover gel pen ink, but i think ink is a very important things in our life...

Wthout it, we cannot write, cannot print, there will be no photos....

Then, life will become boring...>.<