Ok...So here's my draft introduction so far..I hope its passable...

Permanent Markers are commonly used for labeling, marking objects and surfaces, lettering and creating posters. It was invented in 1952 by Sidney Rosenthal and was comprised of a relatively simple design involving a glass bottle which held ink within a felt wool wick and a writing tip; similar to the arrangement of the modernized version today.

The liquids in Permanent Markers are generally water resistant. For the marker to be classified as "permanent", two qualifications must be met. One, being the inclusion of a pigment or dye and two, being the capability to be water resistant and/or adhesive to the majority of surfaces.

Older markers contained hydro-carbonic organic chemicals e.g xylene which were potentially harmful and toxic. However, the main ingredients of a Permanent Marker of today are much less poisonous. The predominant components of the modern Permanent Marker are : colourants, solvents and resin.

The colourants in a Permanent Marker are pigments or dyes which provide the ink with colour. As the markers are alleged "permanent", pigments are the preferable colourant as dyes are soluble in water and tend to fade easily. Pigments, however are insoluble in water or non-polar solvents, unless the material is ground into extremely fine powder.

The ink solvents or carriers of a Permanent Marker are the most crucial component of the pen. The carriers dissolve other components and transfer the liquid via siphoning through a sponge. A switch from xylene solvents to less poisonous alcohol e.g. ethanol was made in 1990 to suit the increasing number of adolescence utilizing the marker at school. Once applied, the solvent automatically evaporates, leaving only the colourant and resin.

Ink resin is a glue-like polymer which ensures that the colourant is affixed to the surface once the solvent evaporates. The ink solvent keeps the resin fluid within the tube of the marker pen. The resin is non-polar like all other components and thus enable the ink to be "permanent".


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I'm going to be starting my experiment very soon, but I've made some little changes to the experiment as I realised its not really reliable. So, Instead of using paint thinner, I'm going to use hairspray because I don't know where to buy it. I'm also going to try using toothpaste and water as alot of videos and discussions online with permanent marker removal tips involve toothpaste. I don't know whether it will actually work, but that's what I'm doing the experiment for right?


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Okay, here are some other random facts about permanent markers.

Permanent marking inks are usually comprised of:

• One or more solvents, pigments or dyes,
  
• A film-forming polymer

• One or more of: surfactants, humectants, biocidals, viscosity modifiers, adhesion promoters or rheology modifiers

The really important parts are the pigment or dye and the film-forming polymer; the other parts exist solely to deliver these. They generally write with high adhesion on nearly all surfaces, including paper, cloth, plastic, wood, metal, glass, and stone. They are waterproof but can be removed with organic solvents, soap and water (on non-porous surfaces), or abrasion.


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Actually, toluene is not commonly used in permanent markers anymore as it is really toxic. It's only used in the "industrial versions" of the markers (I don't quite understand that concept, but I'll get onto it later)

Definition: Toluene is used as a solvent in nail polish. It is also used in Pharmaceuticals and gasoline as a blending agent. It is toxic and a narcotic in high concentrations.It comes from the tolu tree and is a clear, colourless liquid. It can cause eye irritation and has the potential to even affect the nervous system. High amounts can affect the kidneys and also case birth defect as well as causing fatigue and dizziness. Other names include: benzine, methyl-benzine and toluol.

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Ok...so...What are Permanent Markers? Well, they are writing instruments used to apply permanent writing onto objects. The ink applied is permanent on almost all surfaces including paper, metal and stone. They are made to be water resistant so it can be pretty difficult to get off.

Permanent markers contain xylene, toluene and sometimes alcohol. They come in a variety of tip sizes, colours and shapes, depending on which one you prefer.

They were invented by Sidney N. Rosenthal in 1952 and the most popular permanent marker is the SHARPIE for reasons I do not know.

There are a range of solvents which can remove the ink of a permanent marker off specific surfaces including paint thinner and alcohol, both of which I am using in my experiment.

Labels: permanent markers, research

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MS. ZHANG!!! IGNORE THE OTHER CLIMATIC GRAPH!!! I FORGOT THE TITLE!!!! THIS IS THE ACTUAL ONE!!!! It's my birthday btw =]

Labels: climatic graph

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Ok...Well I might change my initial idea on my method. Instead of using paint thinner, I'm going to use hairspray YAY!

Aim: To observe the permanency of permanent markers.

How permanent are permanent markers? What solvents (e.g., water, alcohol, vinegar, detergent solution) will remove the ink? Do different brands/types of markers produce the same results?

Hypothesis: The markers will react differently with each solvent or substance used.

Materials:

• Black permanent marker
  
• Water
  
• Rubbing alcohol
  
• Vinegar
• Hair Spray
  
• An A4 size piece of fabric, paper and plastic to test on
  
• 4 dropper

Method:

1. Collect the materials.
   
2. Starting with the fabric, lay it down in a landscape position.
3. Draw a line from one end to another.
4. Then draw 3 lines which bisect this line in even intervals, thus creating 4 small and even sections.
5. Wait for around 1 -15 minutes for the ink to seep in.
   
6. Apply a few drops of water onto one section, making sure that it is dropped on the horizontal black line.
7. Repeat this for the vinegar and rubbing alcohol.
8. Spray a small amount of hairspray that is approximately equivalent to the amount of the other 3 solvents applied to the other sections.
9. Observe.
10. Record observations in a table.
11. Repeat steps 2-11 for the remaining two materials.
12. Clean up.
13. Repeat experiment.

I hope this is okay.

Labels: draft, method

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