Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: Seany on 06/04/2008 20:07:57

Title: Ink Eradicators!! How do they work?
Post by: Seany on 06/04/2008 20:07:57

We use fountain pens in school using blue ink.. And almost everyone has an ink eradicator, which is a pen, one side with a white lid, the other end with a blue lid..  The end with the white lid is like a felt tip pen, but no visisble ink comes out.. But it erases the blue ink.

Then you use the blue lid end to write over the erased ink!!

Now how do these work?? (There is a rumour that the white side  is made with sheep's weee!! It does smell funny)

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.whsmith.co.uk%2FImages%2FProducts%2F%2F900%2F%2F001%2F%2F90000140_l_f.jpg&hash=d7c375a2403fde9502d1f842111e7be1)

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.whsmith.co.uk%2FImages%2FProducts%2F%2F900%2F%2F001%2F%2F90000140_l_b.jpg&hash=470217031e6fbb71eec176e33c964401)

Maybe it was made by accident?? Like there was a spill of blue ink on the floor, and a sheep peed over it, and it disappeeared?? [???]

Title: Ink Eradicators!! How do they work?
Post by: Make it Lady on 06/04/2008 20:30:15

Neilep, fancy peeing on ink....disgusting.

Title: Ink Eradicators!! How do they work?
Post by: Seany on 06/04/2008 20:39:25

Thank you for answering my question..

Title: Ink Eradicators!! How do they work?
Post by: Make it Lady on 06/04/2008 22:28:38

I'm sure it isn't neilep's doings. I should imagine it is a solvent of a bleach of some sort.

Title: Ink Eradicators!! How do they work?
Post by: Seany on 07/04/2008 00:05:05

Yes, but it is very fascinating if you see it the first time!

Title: Ink Eradicators!! How do they work?
Post by: Karen W. on 07/04/2008 01:16:17

I have never seen a pen that worked like that.. I will have to acquire one and test it out!

Title: Ink Eradicators!! How do they work?
Post by: Soul Surfer on 07/04/2008 09:04:03

The eraser pen probably contains a bleach that bleaches out the colour in ink by oxidising it. Chlorine and peroxide based bleaches are the most often used in  stain removal from clothes.  The ink of course must be a non permanent type that responds to bleaching permanant legal inks and Indian ink cannot be bleached out.

Title: Ink Eradicators!! How do they work?
Post by: Seany on 07/04/2008 10:32:29

Thank you Soul Surfer..

Title: Ink Eradicators!! How do they work?
Post by: enrikm on 03/11/2010 06:05:56

Here's a good link that might help:

http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5019302_ink-eraser-work.html (http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5019302_ink-eraser-work.html)

Title: Ink Eradicators!! How do they work?
Post by: lightarrow on 03/11/2010 15:05:05

Quote from: enrikm on 03/11/2010 06:05:56

Here's a good link that might help:

http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5019302_ink-eraser-work.html (http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5019302_ink-eraser-work.html)

But it doesn't explain which are the chemicals for ink and for eraser.