Permanent marker

Last updated
The "chisel tip" of a marker Permanent ink marker - chisel tip.jpg
The "chisel tip" of a marker
Sanford King Size Permanent Marker Sanford king size.jpg
Sanford King Size Permanent Marker
Sharpie brand permanent markers. Sharpie-marker-types.jpg
Sharpie brand permanent markers.

A permanent marker or indelible marker is a type of marker pen that is used to create permanent or semi-permanent writing on an object.

Contents

Description

In general, permanent marker ink comprises a main carrier solvent, a glyceride, a pyrrolidone, a resin, and a colorant, [1] making it water resistant. It is capable of writing on a variety of surfaces from paper to metal to stone. They come in a variety of tip sizes (ultra fine to wide), shapes (chisel point, bullet tip, and wide bristle), and colors (metallic, or ultraviolet reactive).

Most markers have alcohol-based solvents. Other types, called paint markers, contain volatile organic compounds which evaporate to dry the ink, and are similar to spray paint. Due to solvents such as toluene and xylene often being present in permanent markers, they have a potential for abuse as a recreational drug.

The permanent marker was invented in 1952 by Sidney Rosenthal.

Applications

General purpose

Permanent markers are used for writing on metals, plastics, ceramics, wood, stone, cardboard etc. However, the mark made by them is semi-permanent on some surfaces. Most permanent marker ink can be erased from some plastic surfaces (like polypropylene and teflon) with little rubbing pressure. They can be used on ordinary paper, but the ink tends to bleed through and become visible on the other side.

Use in microscopy

In addition to being used for labelling microscopy slides, permanent markers can be used to do a negative stain of a bacterial sample. This means the background is stained with the marker, but the bacteria are not. The bacteria can be seen because they are unstained (lighter) while the background is stained (darker). [2]

Removal

Permanent markers are generally used on hard, non-porous surfaces, because instead of staining they form a surface layer that, despite their name, can be removed by high pressure cleaning, paint thinners, or organic solvents such as acetone, xylene, or toluene. When used indoors, isopropyl alcohol, ethanol, and ethyl acetate are preferred cleaners, as their fumes are much less hazardous than toluene and xylene, the main components of paint thinner, or the longer-chain hydrocarbons found in mineral spirits. Other common non-polar solvents include benzene, turpentine and other terpenes (which constitute essential oils of many plants with strong scents), most ethers, chloroform and dichloromethane, hydrocarbon fuels, and diacetone alcohol, among many others. Many of these solvents are toxic, carcinogenic, or flammable, and should only be used with adequate ventilation.

Most brands of "OLFA" marker wipe off easily with acetone-free nail polish remover, the kind containing ethyl acetate, a relatively non-toxic organic solvent.

A permanent marker can also be removed by drawing over it with a dry erase marker on non-porous surfaces such as a whiteboard, [3] as dry erase markers also contain a non-polar solvent. Most dry-erase board cleaner solutions also contain effective organic solvents like 2-butoxyethanol to remove the pigment.

Laws

Due to their potential to be used for vandalism, some locales, such as Florida, California, New York City, and Berwyn, Illinois, have laws against possessing permanent markers in public, and prohibit sales of them to minors. [4] [5] [6]

Notes and references

  1. Ink composition resistant to solvent evaporation -- US Patent 7084191 Description. < "Ink composition resistant to solvent evaporation - US Patent 7084191 Description". Archived from the original on 2012-09-09. Retrieved 2012-02-04.> Date of Access: 2-4-2012.
  2. S. Testes and P.H. Chickadee. 1991. New version of the negative stain. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 57:1858–1859.
  3. "Expo FAQs | Answers for Dry Erase Board and Marker-Related Questions". Expomarkers.com. Retrieved 2014-04-30.
  4. "Anti-Graffiti City and State Legislation".
  5. "§ 662.075 USE AND/OR POSSESSION OF SPRAY PAINT AND/OR MARKERS BY MINORS". American Legal Publishing Corporation.
  6. "30 Ridiculous Laws That Could Get You Arrested". wallstreetinsanity.com. Retrieved 12 May 2022.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paint</span> Pigment applied over a surface that dries as a solid film

Paint is a liquid pigment that, after applied to a solid material and allowed to dry, adds a film-like layer, in most cases to create an image, known as a painting. Paint can be made in many colors and types. Most paints are either oil-based or water-based, and each has distinct characteristics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toluene</span> Chemical compound

Toluene, also known as toluol, is a substituted aromatic hydrocarbon with the chemical formula C6H5CH3, often abbreviated as PhCH3, where Ph stands for phenyl group. It is a colorless, water-insoluble liquid with the odor associated with paint thinners. It is a mono-substituted benzene derivative, consisting of a methyl group (CH3) attached to a phenyl group by a single bond. As such, its systematic IUPAC name is methylbenzene. Toluene is predominantly used as an industrial feedstock and a solvent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solvent</span> Substance dissolving a solute resulting in a solution

A solvent is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a solution. A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas, or a supercritical fluid. Water is a solvent for polar molecules, and the most common solvent used by living things; all the ions and proteins in a cell are dissolved in water within the cell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Petrochemical</span> Chemical product derived from petroleum

Petrochemicals are the chemical products obtained from petroleum by refining. Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewable sources such as maize, palm fruit or sugar cane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xylene</span> Organic compounds with the formula (CH3)2C6H4

In organic chemistry, xylene or xylol are any of three organic compounds with the formula (CH3)2C6H4. They are derived from the substitution of two hydrogen atoms with methyl groups in a benzene ring; which hydrogens are substituted determines which of three structural isomers results. It is a colorless, flammable, slightly greasy liquid of great industrial value.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Butanone</span> Chemical compound

Butanone, also known as methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) or ethyl methyl ketone, is an organic compound with the formula CH3C(O)CH2CH3. This colorless liquid ketone has a sharp, sweet odor reminiscent of acetone. It is produced industrially on a large scale, but occurs in nature only in trace amounts. It is partially soluble in water, and is commonly used as an industrial solvent. It is an isomer of another solvent, tetrahydrofuran.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Varnish</span> Transparent hard protective finish or film

Varnish is a clear transparent hard protective coating or film. It is not to be confused with wood stain. It usually has a yellowish shade due to the manufacturing process and materials used, but it may also be pigmented as desired. It is sold commercially in various shades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whiteboard</span> Surface for nonpermanent markings

A whiteboard is a glossy, usually white surface for making non-permanent markings. Whiteboards are analogous to blackboards, but with a smoother surface allowing for rapid marking and erasing of markings on their surface. The popularity of whiteboards increased rapidly in the mid-1990s and they have become a fixture in many offices, meeting rooms, school classrooms, public events and other work environments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marker pen</span> Type of writing tool

A marker pen, fine liner, marking pen, felt-tip pen, felt pen, flowmarker, sign pen, vivid, flomaster, texta, sketch pen, koki or simply marker is a pen which has its own ink source and a tip made of porous, pressed fibers such as felt. A marker pen consists of a container and a core of an absorbent material that holds the ink. The upper part of the marker contains the nib that was made in earlier times of a hard felt material, and a cap to prevent the marker from drying out.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White spirit</span> Petroleum-derived clear, transparent liquid

White spirit (AU, UK and Ireland) or mineral spirits (US, Canada), also known as mineral turpentine (AU/NZ), turpentine substitute, and petroleum spirits, is a petroleum-derived clear liquid used as a common organic solvent in painting. There are also terms for specific kinds of white spirit, including Stoddard solvent and solvent naphtha (petroleum). White spirit is often used as a paint thinner, or as a component thereof, though paint thinner is a broader category of solvent. Odorless mineral spirits (OMS) have been refined to remove the more toxic aromatic compounds, and are recommended for applications such as oil painting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rotary evaporator</span> Device used in chemical laboratories

A rotary evaporator (rotavap) is a device used in chemical laboratories for the efficient and gentle removal of solvents from samples by evaporation. When referenced in the chemistry research literature, description of the use of this technique and equipment may include the phrase "rotary evaporator", though use is often rather signaled by other language.

A paint thinner is a solvent used to thin oil-based paints. Solvents labeled "paint thinner" are usually mineral spirits having a flash point at about 40 °C (104 °F), the same as some popular brands of charcoal starter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethyl acetate</span> Organic compound (CH₃CO₂CH₂CH₃)

Ethyl acetate is the organic compound with the formula CH3CO2CH2CH3, simplified to C4H8O2. This colorless liquid has a characteristic sweet smell and is used in glues, nail polish removers, and in the decaffeination process of tea and coffee. Ethyl acetate is the ester of ethanol and acetic acid; it is manufactured on a large scale for use as a solvent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rubber cement</span> Type of adhesive

Rubber cement is an adhesive made from elastic polymers mixed in a solvent such as acetone, hexane, heptane or toluene to keep it fluid enough to be used. This makes it part of the class of drying adhesives: as the solvents quickly evaporate, the rubber solidifies, forming a strong yet flexible bond.

A paint marker is a type of marker pen that is used to create permanent writing on a variety of surfaces such as paper, metal, stone, rubber, plastic, and glass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cellulose triacetate</span> Chemical compound

Cellulose triacetate, triacetate, CTA or TAC is a chemical compound produced from cellulose and a source of acetate esters, typically acetic anhydride. Triacetate is commonly used for the creation of fibres and film base. It is chemically similar to cellulose acetate. Its distinguishing characteristic is that in triacetate, at least "92 percent of the hydroxyl groups are acetylated." During the manufacture of triacetate, the cellulose is completely acetylated; whereas in normal cellulose acetate or cellulose diacetate, it is only partially acetylated. Triacetate is significantly more heat resistant than cellulose acetate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acetone</span> Organic compound ((CH3)2CO); simplest ketone

Acetone is an organic compound with the formula (CH3)2CO. It is the simplest and smallest ketone. It is a colorless, highly volatile and flammable liquid with a characteristic pungent odor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dimethyl carbonate</span> Chemical compound

Dimethyl carbonate (DMC) is an organic compound with the formula OC(OCH3)2. It is a colourless, flammable liquid. It is classified as a carbonate ester. This compound has found use as a methylating agent and as a co-solvent in lithium-ion batteries. Notably, dimethyl carbonate is a weak methylating agent, and is not considered as a carcinogen. Instead, dimethyl carbonate is often considered to be a green reagent, and it is exempt from the restrictions placed on most volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the United States.

Lacquer thinner, also known as cellulose thinner, is usually a mixture of solvents able to dissolve a number of different resins or plastics used in modern lacquer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paraloid B-72</span> Chemical compound

Paraloid B-72 or B-72 is a thermoplastic resin that was created by Rohm and Haas for use as a surface coating and as a vehicle for flexographic ink. Subsequently, it has found popular use as an adhesive by conservator-restorers, specifically in the conservation and restoration of ceramic objects, glass objects, the preparation of fossils, the hardening of piano hammers, and can also be used for labeling museum objects.