Preliminary Investigation on Production of Brown Ink from Gmelina arborea (ROXB) Fruit Extract

Abstract

The study was carried out to assess the potential of producing brown ink from Gmelina arborea fruit extract and to compare the ink produced with commercial ink using ink flotation test. The Gmelina arborea fruit extract was gotten by soaking the fruits in water for two hours, after which they were squeezed manually to extract the juice. Five different concentration levels (100%, 80%, 60%, 40% and 20%) of the ink were produced using ethanol as diluent and coconut vinegar as additive to preserve the ink from biodegradation and to enhance its stability and permanence on paper once it has dried. The prepared ink was compared with the commercial ink (control) to determine the best concentration level for optimal ink penetration on selected paper surfaces. The results showed that 40% concentration level of the prepared ink has the best penetration time of 5.29