Skip to content
Log in

Iron-gall ink

A historical ink formulation of ferrous sulphate, tannic acid (from oak galls), and gum arabic. The ferrous-tannate complex oxidises to brown ferric-tannate over decades and is acidic enough to degrade underlying cellulose. FTIR-ATR and XRF identify it.

Explained in these topics

Related terms

Ballpoint inkUSSS International Ink LibraryAginsky methodASTM E2285 / E2286ASTM E2789-11BKA Ink Reference CollectionBrunelle R-ratio methodCarbon blackDye-based inkGel pen inkHPLC-DADInk tagging programme

Your journey to becoming a forensic professional starts here.

Practice with mock tests, learn from structured notes, and get your questions answered by a global forensic community, all in one place.

Continue learningCreate Your Account