How to Make Disappearing Ink
Write secret messages or create a great magic trick with disappearing ink.
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You Will Need
- Safety goggles
- 100 milliliters ethyl alcohol
- A bowl
- 1 gram thymolphthalein
- 900 milliliters of water
- 10 milliliters 3-molar
- sodium hydroxide
- Soap and water
- A squirt bottle
- A white cloth
- A cotton ball
- Ammonia
- 1 gram phenolphthalein (optional)
- Vinegar
Steps
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Step 1
Pour ethyl alcohol in bowl
Put on your safety goggles and pour the ethyl alcohol into a bowl.
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Step 2
Add thymolpthalein and water
Mix in the thymolphthalein until it dissolves. Add the 900 milliliters of water, and stir.
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Replace the thymolphthalein with phenolphthalein to make red disappearing ink instead of blue.
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Step 3
Mix in molar sodium hydroxide
Mix in the 3-molar sodium hydroxide. You now have blue disappearing ink.
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Step 4
Wash hands
Wash your hands with soap and water.
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If skin contact occurs, rinse the area with water. Never squirt the disappearing ink onto someone’s face or near eyes.
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Step 5
Test ink
Pour the ink into a squirt bottle and test it by squirting the ink on a white cloth.
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Step 6
Watch ink disappear
Watch the ink disappear as it dries. Wet a cotton ball with ammonia and rub the area to make the ink reappear.
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The color will vanish more quickly if you pour a little vinegar on it or if you blow on the spot.
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Step 7
Store in a container
Store the ink in the squirt bottle to reuse.
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