What is fountain pen ink made of?

What is fountain pen ink made of?

Most contemporary fountain pen ink is made of water, biocides (antibacterial agent), dyes (or with permanent inks, very fine pigments), surfactants, humectants, pH modifiers, and anti-foaming agents.

The most common dyes used are:

• red dye: eosin
• blue dye: triarylmethane
• black inks: both

Surfactants reduce the surface tension of the ink, improving ink flow; humectants prevent the ink from drying out. pH modifiers help to reduce the ink's corrosiveness.

More traditional iron gall ink was made from iron salts and tannic acid from vegetable sources and was often homemade.

Homemade ink recipe