Abstract: The invention concerns a writing implement (1) comprising ink (5) in a fibrous or non-fibrous reservoir, a retarding agent soluble or dispersible in the ink and a nib (7) for transferring ink (5) from the reservoir to the writing medium and a method for making such a nib (7). The invention is characterised in that a retarding agent is included in the writing nib (7) and is adapted to be carried by the ink (5) when it is transferred into said nib (7). The inventive method consists in impregnating an already machined writing nib with a solution containing a specific amount of a retarding agent, drying the impregnated writing nib, without stirring, by heating at a temperature less than 60° C.

Abstract: The invention concerns a writing implement (1) comprising ink (5) in a fibrous or non-fibrous reservoir, a retarding agent soluble or dispersible in the ink and a nib (7) for transferring ink (5) from the reservoir to the writing medium and a method for making such a nib (7). The invention is characterised in that a retarding agent is included in the writing nib (7) and is adapted to be carried by the ink (5) when it is transferred into said nib (7). The inventive method consists in impregnating an already machined writing nib with a solution containing a specific amount of a retarding agent, drying the impregnated writing nib, without stirring, by heating at a temperature less than 60° C.

Abstract: To increase the anti-wettability of a body vis a vis a fluid the body is subjected in a treatment enclosure to a post-discharge nitrogen plasma. A fluorinated vapor is fed into the plasma on the input side or on the output side of the discharge cavity.

Abstract: A method for increasing homogeneously the wettability of a porous body vis a vis a fluid includes a step in which the porous body is exposed in a treatment chamber to a nitrogen plasma generated by an electromagnetic wave discharge in nitrogen gas. Applications include increasing the wettability of a marker tip.

Abstract: A buffer reservoir suitable for absorbing surplus ink and a writing instrument including the buffer reservoir are provided. The buffer reservoir includes a mixture of microbeads that are hydrophobic relative to the ink and microbeads that are hydrophilic relative to the ink. The mixture of microbeads may either be uniform throughout the entire volume of the buffer reservoir, or non-uniform throughout the entire volume of the buffer reservoir, with the proportion of hydrophilic microbeads to hydrophobic microbeads being smaller in the zone immediately in contact with the feed tip and larger in the zone farthest away from the feed tip. Preferably, the proportion of hydrophilic microbeads is in the range of about 2% to about 10%, by weight, relative to the total weight of the buffer reservoir. The writing instrument includes a reservoir for liquid ink, a feed tip opening out into the reservoir, and a buffer reservoir.