Components of ink?

1, dyes: such as the role of the main color of the acid ink blue, the role of color mixing acid big red.

2, stabilizers, such as sulfuric acid.

3, preservatives, such as phenol, arsenic anhydride.

4, wetting agent, such as glycerol, glycol, etc..

5, solvent, mainly treated water.

Ink raw materials contain organic matter and other substances, in a humid environment is prone to rot, mold, in order to prevent decay often add phenol or sodium pentachlorophenol and other agents for preservatives.

Expanded information:

People often use the phrase "drinking ink" to describe a person. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, by Dong Zhongshu and other officials recommended, after the examination, can serve as an official position, called "Chaju".

But because of the increasing trend of favoritism and fraud, the recommended people often do not live up to their names. The court of Northern Qi in order to warn those who have no ink, under an order, the examination on the "results of abusive" who are punished to drink ink, drink ink how much depending on the degree of inferiority of its results, which is the origin of "drinking ink".

Since then, several dynasties followed this penalty. Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty clearly stipulated that "those who are wrong are penalized by drinking a bucket of ink". After the Sui Dynasty set up the imperial examinations, it was also stipulated that "those who have abusive handwriting, drink a liter of ink" on the test papers. Until the Northern Song Dynasty, this odd penalty is still not abolished.

Baidu Encyclopedia - Ink

Baidu Encyclopedia - Drinking Ink