Hi there! Have you ever wondered why permanent markers are called “permanent”? Well, let’s dive into the science behind it and find out what makes these markers so special!
Permanent markers are made up of three main ingredients: a solvent, a colorant, and a resin. Each of these plays a crucial role in making the marker work the way it does.
The solvent is like a magic liquid that helps mix everything together inside the marker. It keeps the colorant and resin in a liquid form so they can flow smoothly onto the paper. Common solvents in permanent markers include n-propanol, ethanol, and isopropanol. These are types of alcohol that are colorless and help the marker ink dry quickly.
The colorant is what gives the marker its color. It can be either a dye or a pigment. Dyes are usually liquids or can dissolve in liquids, while pigments are dry powders. Both can be used in permanent markers to create vibrant colors.
The resin is the real hero when it comes to making a marker permanent. It’s a sticky substance that helps the ink stick to surfaces. The solvent ensures the resin isn’t too sticky, allowing you to write smoothly. In permanent markers, the resin is water-resistant, which means it won’t wash away easily.
Unlike regular markers, permanent markers have a special kind of resin that doesn’t dissolve in water. This is why if you accidentally get permanent marker on your clothes, it’s much harder to wash out compared to regular markers. However, remember that even permanent markers aren’t truly “forever.” Over time, especially with outdoor exposure, the marks can fade.
While permanent markers are designed to last a long time, they don’t last forever. For example, if you use a permanent marker on a nonporous surface outdoors, the marks might fade in a few months. But if you use it indoors on something like paper or canvas, the marks can last for several years.
So, the next time you use a permanent marker, you’ll know all about the science that makes it work. Isn’t it cool how a few simple ingredients can create something so useful?
Thanks for learning with us! If you have more questions, feel free to explore and discover more amazing facts about the world around you.
Try using different types of alcohol, like n-propanol, ethanol, and isopropanol, to see how they affect the drying time of a homemade ink. Mix each solvent with a colorant and resin, and observe which combination dries the fastest. Record your observations and discuss why some solvents work better than others.
Use natural ingredients like beet juice, turmeric, or spinach to create your own colorants. Mix these with a solvent and resin to make a simple ink. Test your ink on paper and see how vibrant the colors are. Discuss the differences between dyes and pigments and how they affect the color intensity.
Write on different surfaces using a permanent marker and a regular marker. Then, spray water on each surface and observe what happens. Discuss why the permanent marker resists water better and how the resin plays a role in this property.
Mark two similar surfaces, one placed indoors and the other outdoors, with a permanent marker. Check the marks weekly and note any changes. Discuss how environmental factors like sunlight and rain affect the longevity of the marks.
In groups, assign each member to be a solvent, colorant, or resin. Act out how these components interact to create a permanent marker. Discuss how each ingredient contributes to the marker’s properties and why they are essential.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:
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Hi, I’m Craig, and this is Mental Floss on YouTube. Today, I’m going to answer a viewer’s BIG question: “What makes a permanent marker permanent?” While no one has invented a permanent scooter, I can answer your question. Let’s get started!
According to Sharpie, a permanent marker does two things: “1. Adheres to most surfaces and/or is water resistant” and “2. Uses dyes or pigments.”
So, what ingredients are required for that to work? Different types of permanent markers have different formulas, but generally, a permanent marker consists of the following: a solvent, a colorant, and a resin.
First, there’s the solvent. This allows the other two substances to combine and exist in the sponge inside the marker. For example, n-propanol is an alcohol that acts as a colorless solvent. Other solvents that are sometimes used in permanent markers include ethanol and isopropanol.
Earlier, I mentioned that a permanent marker uses either dyes or pigments. That’s known as the colorant—it gives the marker its color. There’s a slight difference between dyes and pigments, though either can work for a permanent marker. A dye is usually a liquid or at least soluble, while a pigment is a dry powder.
Finally, there’s the resin. This is what’s really important to what actually makes a permanent marker permanent. It’s a sticky, glue-like substance that ensures that the marks stay on the paper. The solvent makes it so that it’s not too sticky, which is important.
A non-permanent marker also contains resin because users still want what they write to stick to the paper, but they use a different kind of resin.
Remember when I mentioned that permanent markers are “water resistant”? Regular markers have resin that dissolves in water, but permanent markers don’t. So, if you get regular marker on a shirt, you can usually wash it out. That’s not the case with a permanent marker, though you still have to do your laundry.
All that said, permanent markers don’t create marks that last forever. For example, the Sharpie website states that, “With outdoor exposure on a nonporous surface, the marks from a dye-based marker will be gone in perhaps three to four months. With indoor exposure on a porous surface, like artist canvas or paper, we would expect marks from a dye-based marker to last several years.” But nothing lasts forever, which is a good lesson.
Thanks for watching Mental Floss on YouTube, made with the help of all these wonderful people. If you have a Big Question of your own that you’d like answered, leave it in the comments below. See you next week! Or whenever—you can watch the video whenever; it’ll be up… permanently.
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Let me know if you need any further modifications!
Marker – A tool used to apply ink to a surface, often used for writing or drawing. – Example sentence: In the chemistry lab, we used a marker to label the test tubes with different solutions.
Solvent – A substance, usually a liquid, that dissolves a solute to form a solution. – Example sentence: Water is a common solvent used in chemistry experiments to dissolve various substances.
Colorant – A substance used to impart color to materials or mixtures. – Example sentence: The colorant in the solution changed the liquid from clear to bright blue.
Resin – A sticky substance that is often used in the production of plastics and adhesives. – Example sentence: The resin was mixed with other chemicals to create a strong adhesive for the experiment.
Dye – A substance used to change the color of materials, such as fabrics or liquids. – Example sentence: We added a dye to the water to observe how it spreads through the liquid.
Pigment – A material that provides color to paints, inks, and other substances. – Example sentence: The pigment in the paint gave it a rich, vibrant color that was perfect for our project.
Water-resistant – Having the ability to resist the penetration of water to some degree. – Example sentence: The water-resistant coating on the paper prevented it from getting damaged during the experiment.
Alcohol – A type of organic compound that is often used as a solvent or in chemical reactions. – Example sentence: We used alcohol to clean the surfaces of the lab equipment before starting the experiment.
Surfaces – The outermost or uppermost layers of an object or material. – Example sentence: The surfaces of the beakers were carefully cleaned to ensure accurate results in the experiment.
Fade – To gradually lose color or brightness over time. – Example sentence: The dye in the fabric began to fade after being exposed to sunlight for several days.
