Q&A for How to Make an Invisible Ink Pen

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  • Question
    Is there something I can use instead of the grape juice?
    Community Answer
    Yes. Lemon juice or vinegar should also work.
  • Question
    Where can I get petroleum jelly?
    Lexi Gen13
    Community Answer
    You can get petroleum jelly at any drug store such as CVS, Walgreens, or Target. Petroleum jelly is also called Vaseline.
  • Question
    What can I use instead of acid and how do I fill that ink in the pen?
    floortjj1
    Community Answer
    Lemon juice or vinegar should work. For the pen, maybe you could take an empty pen and try adding the ink with a syringe.
  • Question
    Instead of lemon, can I use lime?
    Community Answer
    Yes, the lemon juice and the lime juice are both acidic, so it should work.
  • Question
    What is the principle behind this process?
    floortjj1
    Community Answer
    Baking powder is an indicator, which means it reacts with acidic or basic substances. Indicators react with certain pH values.
  • Question
    How do I fill the pen with invisible ink without a syringe?
    Community Answer
    You could try to make a tiny funnel, but a syringe is more efficient, and they are relatively cheap.
  • Question
    Will the grape juice dry up so the message can fade away?
    Community Answer
    The grape juice will not fade away.
  • Question
    Would Vaseline work instead of petroleum jelly, and does it have to be computer paper?
    Community Answer
    Yes, Vaseline is just a brand name for petroleum jelly. The type of paper does not matter as long as you can write on it. (For example, if it is too glossy, the ink might not stick to the paper well.)
  • Question
    Can I store the ink in the body of a sealed pen?
    Community Answer
    Yes, but make sure to clean it out with water so it does not mess up the solution.
  • Question
    Is it okay to use baking powder instead of baking soda?
    Community Answer
    Baking soda requires an acid to activate. Baking powder already has an acid in it, therefore will not create the reaction you are looking for.
  • Question
    Will lemon juice completely fade away when it is dry?
    Community Answer
    Yes, it will because it's acidic. The lemon juice will fade away because of the dryness of the paper and because of its acidity.
  • Question
    Will invisible ink show up eventually? I drew around my house, and I don’t want my parents to find it.
    SSU LL
    Community Answer
    No, it won't. Invisible ink is designed to remain invisible until a specific method or substance is applied to reveal it.
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