BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Tea is created by using the leaves of a plant known as Camellis sinesis. This plant is
native to mainland China, South and Southeast Asia, but it is today cultivated across
the world in tropical and subtropical regions. It is an evergreen shrub or small tree that
is usually trimmed to below 2m (6.6ft) when cultivated for its leaves. It has a strong
taproot. The flowers are yellow- white, 2.5-4cm (0.98 – 1.6 in) in diameter, with 7 to 8
petals. Tea-drinking can be traced back to the 10th century BC in China before it was
spread to Korea and Japan. Basically, this drink is made by brewing tea leaves to
create an extract. Due to the chlorophylls and other pigments in theleaves, the extract
commonly appears with a brown color.

OBJECTIVES
This research is being done to find out the potency of the extract of the leaves from
the plant camellis sinesis as an ink. Nowadays ink is a pigment in a liquid or paste
form used as colorants and dyes. Also they are becoming more and more expensive
because of their increasing purpose. Our research aims to produce this ink as a
cheaper alternative to those commercial ones. Compared to the ink we are aiming to
create, commercially produced ink are toxic and can be harzardous to a person’s
health once there are inappropriate contact with it.
To match with the colors and the consistency of the other inks, we will be adding other
substances, specially vinegar and corn starch, which are common and easy to find.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Generally this investigory projects aims to find out if tea bags can be used to create
an ink. Specifically, ITS AIM to answer the following questions ;
1. Can vinegar strengthen the colour of the products, ink ?
2. 2. Can corn starch contribute to achieving the right consistency of the ink?
3. Are the process boiling and straining efficient in taking the extract out the tea
bags?

HYPOTHESIS OF THE STUDY

1. Extracts taken form the tea bags have the potential to be made into an ink
2. If vinegar and corn starch are added to the mixture, then the product would
have a stronger colour and thicker consistency than to ordinary ink
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This investigory project will benefits us by producing an alternative for other inks.
These other manufactured inks nowadays have quite expensive prices but since the
materials to be used in our projects are common and easy to find, we will spending
less money. Also, no harmful chemicals will be used in making our inks. Therefore, it
is non toxic compared to commercially sold inks which have the tendencies of causing
harm to ones health and to the environment

SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

Our research and experiments are only limited to making simple ink as a colorant. It
does not include inks that are used in machines such as printers, copiers etc. also, our
study includes the effect of vinegar and corn starch on the products. To have accurate
observations, we will be creating two sets up : an ink without vinegar and corn starch
and one with vinegar and corn starch

LITERATURE REVIEW
This history of Chinese inks can be traced back to the 18 th century BC, with the
utilization of natural plant dyes, animal and mineral inks based on such materials as
graphite that were ground with water and applied with the ink brushes
The India ink used in ancient India since at least the 4ath century BC was called masi,
and was made of burnt bones tar pitch and other substances applied with sharp point
needle
Saffron is well known as the source of a truly brilliant if rather fugitive yellow and there
is evidence of its use both as colorant and medicines in the Greek and Persian
civilisation of the same period.
Tea dyeing is an easy way to mute fabrics or give them an older, antiqued look. Tea
stains and fibers gives a semi-permanent dull brown “dirty” tone to the whole piece. It
is used when you want to “antique” a craft textile such as doll dresser or small quilt.
Griffiths uses the medium of tea and ink ( sometimes graphite, vodka, whiskey and
others ) to create the pieces. Tea and ink as a medium has become a trademark for
Griffiths in the art world.
METHODOLOGY

SET UP A
 7 TEABAGS
 1 ½ CUPS OF WATER
 1 TABLESPOON OF VINEGAR
 CORNSTARCH
 STRAINER AND FORK
 BOTTLE

PROCEDURE

1.Place the 7 teabags in 1 ½ cups of boiling water

2.Create the tea for 6-8 minutes

3.Remove the teabags from the boiling water. Use a strainer and a
fork to remove all the extracts

4.While stirring the tea, add a tablespoon of vinegar.

5.Continue to stir it. Add as much dissolved corn starch as you need
to have your desired consistency.

6.Remove it from the heat and let it cool. When done, store in a
bottle.
 SET-UP B

 7 TEABAGS
 1 ½ CUPS OF WATER
 STRAINER AND FORK
 BOTTLE
 1.Place the 7 teabags in 1 ½ cups of boiling water

2.Create the tea for 6-8 minutes

3.Remove the teabags from the boiling water. Use a strainer and a
fork to remove all the extracts

4.Remove it from the heat and let it cool. When done, store in a
bottle.
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 FINDINGS
During the procedure itself, we have observed
the boiling is an effective process of
extraction. Right after we have placed the
teabags in the boiling water, the change of
colour is very noticeable. During this step the
mixture had a very strong smell from the tea.
While following the procedures for the set-up A
which included the placing of the vinegar,
there was no immediate change of in colour as
we expected. Instead, the vinegar’s effect was
seen when we tried to paint the two inks on the
paper. While applying the ink on paper, it was
harder to use Ink B because its consistency was
very watery. Thus it became runny and scattered
unlike Ink A.

*after letting them dry, it was seen that Ink A had darker colour while Ink B’s
Writings fade.
 Our hypothesis which states that teabags have the potential to
be made into and ink if vinegar and corn starch is added is
proven correct. We had two set-ups which were set-up A that
has vinegar and set-up B that has no vinegar. Vinegar is
mainly a dilute aqueous solution of acetic acid which is an
important reagent and industrial chemically, mainly used in
the production of cellulose acetate. A cellulose acetate is used
as film base in photography and a film base is a transparent
substance which acts as a support medium for the
photosensitive emulsion that lies atop it, its base generally
accounts for the vast majority of the thickness of any given
film stock.
The addition of vinegar and corn starch in making an ink can
result to thicker consistency and consistent colour which is
better for usage of the ink. Our observation prove that adding
vinegar to the mixture can be made into an ink because without
the vinegar there would be no consistency on the mixture and it
will be less seen.
 SUMMARY

There are many different kinds of ink. In our experiments

we will use tea bags as the main component of our ink .
having two different set ups will provide the chance to
compare the colours and consistencies . corn starch is an
efficient additive to have the right consistency of the
product. Also vinegar is also the efficient, through there is
no obvious change in colour, it was seen that it gave the ink
a consistent colour wheter were dry.

We therefore conclude that one can create an improvised

ink using the extract from teabags. This will be very
convinient and cheap because the ingridients to be used are
commonly found around the house. Also, the said processes,
boiling and straining, can be don easily.
 CONCLUSION

 Tea bags can be used to create

ink.
 Vinegar can strenghthen the
colour of the product, ink
 Corn starch effectively
contributes to achieving to the
right consistency of the ink.
 The processes boiling and
straing are efficient in taking the
extract out of the tea bags.