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Phenoxyethanol (2-Phenoxyethanol)

Definition

A semi-volatile high-boiling solvent that constitutes a major component of ballpoint ink vehicles; its gradual loss from the dried ink film after deposition on paper is the basis of solvent-loss ink dating methods.

Related terms

BKA Ink Reference Collection
The Bundeskriminalamt (German Federal Criminal Police Office) reference database of European pen ink formulations, used as the evidentiary baseline for questioned-document cases...
Carbon Black
A colloidal carbon pigment produced by incomplete combustion; the primary colourant in permanent black gel inks, Indian inks, and archival drawing inks;...
Ink Tagging Programme
A voluntary scheme begun in 1979 whereby participating pen manufacturers add annual chemical tags (rare-earth chelates or fluorescent markers) to their formulations;...
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...
Manufacturing Change Window
The interval between when an ink formulation was introduced and when it was discontinued or reformulated; documents with ink outside this window...
Phenolic Resin
A class of synthetic polymer binder formed by condensation of phenols with formaldehyde; used in ballpoint ink vehicles since the 1950s; identifiable...
Shear-Thinning (Pseudoplastic)
A rheological property where viscosity decreases under applied shear force; the gel ink delivery mechanism depends on this property: the gel liquefies...
Triarylmethane Dye
A class of synthetic dyes (including crystal violet, Victoria blue B) that form the primary colourant in most blue ballpoint inks; characterised...
USSS International Ink Library
A collection of ~10,000 dated writing ink formulations maintained by the United States Secret Service since 1968, providing a terminus post quem...

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