30 Years of Indelible Ink: Technological Development at IPN

In 1993, the then Federal Electoral Institute, a constitutional autonomous body responsible for organizing federal elections in Mexico, issued an international call to find an indelible ink that would mark voters' fingers to prevent double voting. After receiving several proposals, the only one that met the requirements was a chemical substance developed by Filiberto Vázquez Dávila, a researcher at the Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas (ENCB) of the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN).

Developed in 1993 and first used in the 1994 elections in Mexico, the well-known "indelible ink" is actually a pigment that stains the skin cells. This substance chemically binds with the proteins in the skin, resulting in a pigment that can only be removed through natural shedding over time. The "indelible ink" has a distinct vinegar-like smell, is non-toxic, and dries in 15 seconds after application.

Since its introduction in the 1994 electoral process, the pigment has been produced in the laboratories of ENCB and holds a registered patent owned by IPN. It has been supplied for electoral processes in various Central American and Caribbean countries. Each time, specific chemical compositions are used to create unique identifiers to verify if the ink was indeed produced by IPN.

The Historical Archive of IPN preserves markers with indelible ink created in 2012 in its Museum area. Additionally, it stores various printed and digital documents that testify to the extensive and fruitful career of Filiberto Vázquez Dávila, which are available for consultation.

For more information, please contact the Office of the Presidency of the Dean's Office at the National Polytechnic Institute, telephone 5729 6000, extensions 63054 and 63057, or email consultaah@ipn.mx.

Gaceta Politécnica #1809. (July 15th, 2024). IPN Imagen Institucional: Read the full magazine in Spanish here.