green inks

Ingredients

oak galls, distilled water, CuSO4.5 H2O, gum Arabic, acetic acid, saffron solution

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

Ink 14: 10.0 g oak galls were boiled in 150 ml distilled water, then 10.0 g CuSO4.5 H2O was added and heated for 10 minutes; finally 2.0 g of gum Arabic was added (p. 39). Ink 15: 5.0 g of CuSO4.5 H2O was added to 50 mL of 8% acetic acid solution, then 15 mL 5% saffron solution was added and mixed, and lastly 2.0 g of gum Arabic was added (p. 39).

Evidence

"Two different green inks prepared according to historical recipes were analyzed. (ink 14 and ink 15) (Yaman, 1995)"

Remarks

Ink 14 resulted in a filtrate with a pH of 2.25, while Ink 15 had a pH of 2.58 (p. 39). Both are modeled on historical green ink formulations using copper salts and organic additives.