Method for producing resin particles and method for producing toner particles

Abstract

To provide a dispersion machine which can effectively impart shear force to treated liquid.SOLUTION: A dispersion machine 1 for treating treated liquid by feeding liquid has a rotor 3, a stator 4 facing the rotor, and a shear region 7, wherein the rotor has an annular projection part 5 which is annularly provided with a rotary shaft 2 as a center and a non-projection part 6 other than the annular projection part, the annular projection part has a plurality of slits formed in a centrifugal direction, the non-projection part has smooth parts A composed of smooth surfaces, the stator has smooth parts B facing the smooth parts A with a gap and a supply port 8 for supplying a treated object to the shear region, the shear region is formed by facing the smooth parts and is formed inside the annular projection part, and when an area of the smooth surfaces is represented by R(mm2) and an area of the smooth surfaces is represented by S(mm2), 0.55≤S / R≤0.95 is satisfied.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a disperser used for atomizing, homogenizing, dispersing or dispersing a fluid to be treated. [Background technology]

[0002] Various dispersers have been proposed as devices for emulsifying, dispersing, or mixing the fluid to be treated. The demand for uniform treatment of the material to be treated is increasing in various fields, and dispersers capable of more precise treatment have been proposed. There is a method in which a part of the material to be treated held in a tank is sent to the tank and treated with an in-line type disperser. This method is preferably used because it can efficiently disperse the material by applying shear to a part of the material to be treated with the disperser. Various shapes of dispersers have been proposed for use in an in-line system. Patent Document 1 shows a dispersing machine in which a rotor equipped with a plurality of cutter blades and a stator equipped around the rotor are arranged concentrically. The stator has a plurality of slits in its circumferential direction, and when at least the rotor rotates, the fluid to be treated is discharged from the inside to the outside of the stator through the slits, a shear force is applied to the fluid to be finely divided and homogenized. Patent Document 2 proposes a disperser in which a rotor and a stator have opposing annular teeth arranged in multiple rows, and which is equipped with a mechanism for supplying multiple fluids to be treated. Patent Document 3 proposes a disperser that includes a rotor whose diameter increases like a cone from the bottom to the middle and decreases from the middle to the top, and a stator that has a desired gap with the rotor and houses the rotor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 60-31819 [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 4-28409 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 6448717 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in view of recent demands for dispersers, there is a demand for dispersers capable of subjecting the treated fluid (treated liquid) to even higher shear treatment. For example, in order to develop electrostatic images for use in electrophotography, there is a demand for efficiently producing toner particles having small particle diameters and a sharp particle size distribution by a suspension polymerization method or the like in order to achieve excellent image characteristics. An object of the present invention is to provide a disperser capable of effectively applying shear force to a liquid to be treated in order to meet the above-mentioned demands. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing resin particles and a method for producing toner particles using the disperser of the present invention. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present invention provides a dispersing machine for treating a liquid to be treated by feeding the liquid, comprising: The dispersing machine has a rotor, a stator arranged to face the rotor, and a shearing region for shearing the liquid to be treated, The rotor has an annular protrusion portion provided annularly about a rotation axis of the rotor, and a non-protrusion portion other than the annular protrusion portion, The annular protrusion has a plurality of slits formed in a centrifugal direction of the annular protrusion, The non-protruding portion has a smooth portion A that is composed of a smooth surface a, The stator has a smooth portion B composed of a smooth surface b facing the smooth surface a of the smooth portion A with a gap therebetween, and a supply port for supplying the workpiece to the shear region, The shear region is formed by the smooth surface a of the smooth portion A facing the smooth surface b of the smooth portion B, and is formed inside the annular protrusion, The area of ​​the smooth surface a of the smooth portion A is R (mm 2 ), and the area of ​​the smooth surface b of the smooth portion B is S (mm 2 ), the relationship between R and S is as follows: 0.55≦S / R≦0.95 The present invention relates to a dispersing machine characterized by satisfying the above. The present invention also relates to a method for producing resin particles using the above-mentioned dispersing machine. Further, the present invention provides a method for producing a polymerizable monomer composition comprising the steps of: forming particles of a polymerizable monomer composition containing a polymerizable monomer and a colorant in an aqueous dispersion medium to obtain a dispersion of the particles of the polymerizable monomer composition; a polymerization step of polymerizing the polymerizable monomer in the particles after the granulation step to obtain a dispersion of toner particles; 1. A method for producing toner particles comprising the steps of: The present invention relates to a method for producing toner particles, wherein the granulation step is a step using the above-mentioned dispersing machine. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a disperser capable of effectively applying shear force to a fluid to be treated. Furthermore, by providing a method for producing resin particles and a method for producing toner particles using the disperser of the present invention, it is possible to obtain more uniformly treated resin particles and toner particles. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an example of a rotor and a stator of the dispersing machine of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a shear region 7 formed by a rotor and a stator of the dispersing machine of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an example of a rotor of the dispersing machine of the present invention as viewed from the supply port 8 side. [Figure 4]2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the stator in FIG. 1 and the stator as viewed from the rotor side. FIG. [Diagram 5] 1 is a schematic diagram of a rotor showing a shear region 7 when the rotor is viewed in the direction of the rotation axis from the stator side. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing an example of a rotor of the dispersing machine of the present invention, as viewed from the S-viewpoint in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing an example of a rotor of the dispersing machine of the present invention, as viewed from the S-viewpoint in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an example of a rotor and a stator of the dispersing machine of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a shear region 7 formed by a rotor and a stator of the dispersing machine shown in FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an example of a rotor and a stator of the dispersing machine of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a shear region 7 formed by a rotor and a stator of the dispersing machine shown in FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an example of a rotor and a stator of the dispersing machine of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a shear region 7 formed by the rotor and stator of the dispersing machine shown in FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an example of a rotor and a stator of the dispersing machine of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a shear region 7 formed by the rotor and stator of the dispersing machine shown in FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an example of a rotor and a stator of the dispersing machine of the present invention. [Figure 17] 17 is a schematic diagram illustrating the rotor in FIG. 16 together with the rotor as viewed from the supply port 8 side. [Figure 18] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a rotor and a stator of the dispersing machine used in Comparative Example 1. [Figure 19] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a rotor and a stator of a dispersing machine used in Comparative Example 2. [Figure 20] 7 is a schematic diagram showing the area Ss of a slit and the area Sp of an annular protrusion in the rotor of FIG. 6. FIG. [Figure 21] 8 is a schematic diagram showing the area Ss of a slit and the area Sp of an annular protrusion in the rotor of FIG. 7. FIG. [Figure 22] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a granulation system equipped with a disperser used in the examples and comparative examples. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] The present invention will be described in detail below.

[0009] [Configuration of Dispersion Machine and Production of Toner Particles] The dispersing machine of the present invention is preferably used for producing resin particles, and the liquid to be treated contains a precursor of the resin particles and a liquid that is incompatible with the precursor of the resin particles. Such resin particles include a toner used in an electrophotographic image forming method, and the production method thereof is a suspension polymerization method.

[0010] The suspension polymerization method is a production method in which particles of a polymerizable monomer composition containing a polymerizable monomer and a colorant are formed in an aqueous medium (aqueous dispersion medium), and the polymerizable monomer contained in the particles of the polymerizable monomer composition is polymerized to obtain toner particles.

[0011] Hereinafter, the method for producing toner particles by suspension polymerization will be described for each step, including a detailed description of the configuration of the dispersing machine of the present invention.

[0012] (Polymerizable monomer composition preparation step) A polymerizable monomer composition containing a polymerizable monomer and a colorant is prepared. The colorant may be dispersed in advance in the polymerizable monomer using a medium stirring mill or the like and then mixed with the other compositions, or the colorant may be dispersed after all of the compositions are mixed.

[0013] (Pelletization process; Dispersion machine use process) A polymerizable monomer composition is added to an aqueous medium containing an inorganic dispersion stabilizer, and granulated by dispersing to obtain a polymerizable monomer composition dispersion. The dispersed droplets of the polymerizable monomer composition dispersion are a major factor in determining the particle size distribution of toner particles. Therefore, a dispersing machine that forms the droplets is required to apply a higher shear force uniformly.

[0014] As the dispersing machine, for example, the dispersing machine shown in FIG. 1 can be used, but the present invention is not limited to the dispersing machine shown in FIG.

[0015] The dispersing machine 1 shown in FIG. 1 is equipped with a rotor 3 attached to a rotating shaft 2 and a stator 4 arranged to face the rotor. The rotor has an annular protrusion 5 arranged in a ring shape around the rotating shaft of the rotor, and a non-protrusion 6 other than the annular protrusion. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the rotor as seen from the supply port 8 side. The rotor has an annular protrusion 5 and a non-protrusion 6 other than the annular protrusion. The non-protrusion 6 has a smooth surface a, and a smooth portion A is present in the smooth surface a, which is a portion excluding the portion that constitutes the slit formed by the annular protrusion. The smooth portion A may be a flat surface or a substantially flat surface, or may be composed of multiple flat surfaces that are continuously inclined. Furthermore, the annular protrusion 5 has multiple slits 9 formed in the centrifugal direction of the annular protrusion.

[0016] 4 is a schematic diagram of the stator as viewed from the direction of the rotor's rotation axis. It has a smooth portion B that is composed of a smooth surface b that faces, with a gap, the smooth surface a of the smooth portion A. The smooth portion B may be a flat surface or a nearly flat surface, or may be composed of multiple flat surfaces that are continuously inclined.

[0017] The supply port 8 is preferably provided on the stator so as to intersect with the rotation axis of the rotor or an extension of the rotation axis. By providing the supply port at this position, the liquid to be treated supplied from the supply port is uniformly spread in the shear region and treated.

[0018] Here, the shearing region for shearing the liquid to be treated is the region indicated by the reference symbol 7 in Fig. 2, which is formed by the opposing smooth surface a of smooth portion A and the smooth surface b of smooth portion B, and is formed inside the annular protrusion. Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the shearing region 7 when the rotor is viewed from the stator side in the direction of the rotation axis. The shearing region 7 is the portion indicated by dots where the smooth surface b of the stator and the smooth surface a of the rotor overlap.

[0019] The inventors have found that in the shear region formed by the opposing smooth surface a of smooth portion A and the smooth surface b of smooth portion B, a uniform shear force can be applied to the liquid to be treated by rubbing between the smooth surface a and the smooth surface b. Furthermore, they have found that a larger shear force can be applied by the annular protrusion provided on the rotor. And, they have found that the shear force can be uniformly and continuously applied to the liquid to be treated by the shear region and the annular protrusion, thereby improving the dispersion ability of the disperser.

[0020] On the other hand, there is a disperser having slits formed by annular protrusions arranged around the rotor shaft 2 and adjacent annular protrusions on both the rotor 3 and the stator 4 as shown in Fig. 18. In the case of a disperser in which the annular protrusions of the rotor and the stator are arranged to mesh with each other, the flow of the liquid to be treated becomes complicated, and uniform shear is not applied compared to the present invention. Shear is applied by the liquid to be treated passing between the annular protrusions, but when the slits of the rotor and the stator overlap, the liquid to be treated flows easily, and when the phase of the slits is shifted, the liquid to be treated does not flow easily, resulting in an unstable flow of the liquid and an uneven dispersion process.

[0021] As a result of intensive research, the inventors have determined that the area of ​​the smooth surface a of the smooth portion A is R (mm 2 ), and the area of ​​the smooth surface b of the smooth portion B is S (mm 2), it was found that the relationship between the area R and the area S must satisfy 0.55≦S / R≦0.95. This range ensures an area that applies uniform shear to the liquid being treated in the shear region. In the case of a polymerizable monomer composition and an aqueous medium, a uniform dispersion of the polymerizable monomer composition is obtained in the shear region.

[0022] If S / R is 0.55>, the shearing occurs at the annular protrusion without sufficient rubbing in the shearing region, resulting in non-uniform shearing, which is undesirable. As a result, the uniformity of the dispersed droplets of the dispersion of the polymerizable monomer composition is lost, and the particle size distribution of the toner particles obtained in the post-processing is deteriorated.

[0023] It is not preferable to increase S / R beyond 0.95, as this would reduce the productivity of the disperser. There is a method for increasing S / R by significantly reducing the size of the supply port and increasing the area of ​​the smooth surface b of the stator. However, this method results in a large pressure loss at the supply port due to the small size of the supply port. This reduces the processing capacity of the disperser. In order to maintain the processing capacity, the discharge pressure of the pump can be increased, but this would also increase the pressure on the liquid-contacting parts of the disperser, and the structure of the disperser must be able to withstand this pressure, resulting in a significant reduction in productivity.

[0024] On the other hand, there is a method of reducing the distance v (see Figure 2) between the annular protrusion and the stator, but this requires considerable manufacturing precision and significantly increases the manufacturing cost of the dispersing machine, making it undesirable as industrial equipment.

[0025] The shape of the annular protrusion is not particularly limited, but is preferably a comb-like annular protrusion having a plurality of small protrusions as shown in FIG. 6, and the slit 9 is a slit formed between the plurality of small protrusions. The shear force imparted by the annular protrusion is imparted to the liquid passing through the slit by the rotation of the rotor. With the comb-like annular protrusion, the flow of the liquid from the shear region toward the slit is maintained well, so that more uniform processing is achieved. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the rotor shown in FIG. 3 as seen from the S-viewpoint.

[0026] In addition, when the distance between the part of the smooth surface a that forms the shear region and the part of the smooth surface b that forms the shear region is h (mm), and the distance between the annular protrusion 5 and the stator in the centrifugal direction is v (mm), it is preferable that the relationship between h and v is 0.4≦h / v≦5.0 (see FIG. 2). Within this range, the flow of the liquid to be treated from the shear region toward the slit is maintained well, resulting in more uniform treatment.

[0027] Furthermore, when the distance between the portion of the smooth surface a that forms the shear region and the portion of the smooth surface b that forms the shear region is h (mm) and the distance between the multiple slits is K (mm), it is preferable that the relationship between h and K is 0.2≦h / K≦5.0 (see Figs. 2, 6 and 7). This range is preferable because it appropriately maintains the balance between the shear force applied in the shear region and the shear force imparted when passing through the slits.

[0028] When the distance between the portion of smooth surface a that forms the shear region and the portion of smooth surface b that forms the shear region is h (mm) and the height of the annular protrusion is H (mm), it is preferable that the relationship between h and H is 10≦H / h≦60 (see FIG. 2). Within this range, the liquid to be treated that has been treated in the shear region is treated uniformly without uneven distribution when passing through the slit.

[0029] In the rotor of the dispersing machine of the present invention, the outermost end of the smooth part A can be set to a height that is approximately the middle of the annular protrusion. Preferably, when the distance between the outermost end of the smooth part A and the surface that constitutes the slit on the smooth surface a is D (mm), and the height of the annular protrusion is H (mm), the relationship between D and H is preferably 0≦D / H≦0.7 (see FIG. 16). This range is preferable because it suppresses short passes that pass between the stator and the annular protrusion, and allows the liquid to be treated to efficiently pass through the slit. From this viewpoint, the more preferable relationship between D and H is 0≦D / H≦0.5. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, D=0, so D / H=0.

[0030] The opening ratio of the plurality of slits on the outer peripheral surface of the annular projection is preferably 10% by area to 30% by area, in which case the shear force applied by the rotation of the rotor can be effectively transmitted to the liquid to be treated.

[0031] In the case where the slit is surrounded by rotor members as shown in FIG. 7, the opening is defined as the area of ​​the slit Ss (mm 2 ), and the area of ​​the annular protrusion is Sp (mm 2 ) in the case where the annular protrusion is a comb-teeth-shaped annular protrusion having multiple small protrusions as shown in FIG. 6, the area of ​​the slit Ss (mm 2 ), and the area of ​​the annular protrusion is the shaded area Sp (mm 2 )

[0032] The aperture ratio is calculated by the following formula (1). Opening ratio (area %) = slit area Ss ÷ {(slit area Ss) + (annular protrusion area Sp)} Formula (1)

[0033] The distance h (mm) between the part of the smooth surface a that forms the shear region and the part of the smooth surface b that forms the shear region is preferably 0.6≦h≦3.0 (see FIG. 2). If it is within this range, the shear force in the dispersion process can be suitably generated.

[0034] In the granulation step, a granulation system shown in FIG. 22 can be used, but the present invention is not limited to the granulation system shown in FIG. 22. The liquid to be treated is a mixture of an aqueous medium containing an inorganic dispersion stabilizer and a polymerizable monomer composition, and the temperature of the liquid to be treated can be appropriately selected, but it may be heated from the viewpoint of preventing precipitation of the polymerizable monomer composition. The liquid to be treated is sent from a tank 14 to the disperser 1 of the present invention by a liquid sending means (pump) 10. The liquid to be treated treated by the disperser 1 is sent to the tank 14. This dispersion treatment is performed for a predetermined time to obtain a dispersion of the polymerizable monomer composition. It is preferable to stir the liquid to be treated by a stirring mechanism 15 in the tank 14, since the ratio of the aqueous dispersion medium and the polymerizable monomer composition can be kept constant and the liquid can be sent to the disperser.

[0035] Here, when shearing treatment is performed by a disperser using the granulation system shown in Fig. 22, the number of passes calculated from the mass W (kg) of the mixture of the aqueous dispersion medium and the polymerizable monomer composition, the circulation flow rate α (kg / min), and the treatment time T (min) is preferably 3 to 8, more preferably 4 to 6. The number of passes is calculated by the following formula (2). Number of passes = (α × T) ÷ W Equation (2)

[0036] Examples of inorganic dispersion stabilizers include carbonates such as barium carbonate, calcium carbonate, and magnesium carbonate; metal phosphates such as aluminum phosphate, magnesium phosphate, calcium phosphate, barium phosphate, and zinc phosphate; sulfates such as barium sulfate and calcium sulfate; and metal hydroxides such as calcium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, and ferric hydroxide. These can be used alone or in combination of two or more. These function as dispersion stabilizers by being present as poorly water-soluble inorganic fine particles in an aqueous medium.

[0037] (Reaction process) The polymerizable monomer in the polymerizable monomer composition dispersion liquid obtained as described above is polymerized to obtain a dispersion liquid of toner particles. In the reaction step in the present invention, a general stirring tank capable of controlling the temperature can be used.

[0038] The polymerization temperature is 40° C. or higher, and is generally 50 to 90° C. The polymerization temperature may be constant throughout, but may be elevated in the latter half of the polymerization process in order to obtain a desired molecular weight distribution.

[0039] The stirring blade used for stirring may be any blade that can suspend the polymerizable monomer composition dispersion without stagnation and maintain a uniform temperature in the tank. Examples of the stirring blade or stirring means include common stirring blades such as paddle blades, inclined paddle blades, three-blade swept blades, propeller blades, disk turbine blades, helical ribbon blades and anchor blades, as well as "Fullzone" (manufactured by Kobe Steel Pantech Co., Ltd.), "Twin Star" (manufactured by Kobe Steel Pantech Co., Ltd.), "Max Blend" (manufactured by Sumitomo Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.), "Super Mix" (manufactured by Satake Chemical Machinery Co., Ltd.), and "Hi-F Mixer" (manufactured by Soken Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.).

[0040] (Washing process, solid-liquid separation process) In order to remove the dispersion stabilizer adhering to the toner particle surface, the dispersion liquid of the toner particles is treated with an acid or alkali. After this, the polymer particles are separated from the liquid phase by a general solid-liquid separation method, but in order to completely remove the acid or alkali and the dispersion stabilizer components dissolved therein, the toner particles are washed again with water. This washing process is repeated several times, and after sufficient washing, solid-liquid separation is again performed to obtain wet toner particles.

[0041] (drying process) The obtained wet toner particles are dried to remove the contained water, aqueous medium, etc. As a drying method generally used in a drying step, various drying methods such as vacuum drying, fluidized bed drying, air flow drying, etc. can be used.

[0042] (Classification process) After drying, the mixture is classified using an air classifier or the like to obtain the desired particle size distribution, thereby obtaining the desired toner particles.

[0043] (External addition process) Toner particles can be obtained by mixing external additives with the toner particles for the purpose of imparting various properties to the toner particles.

[0044] [Toner constituent materials] An example of the binder resin of the toner is a styrene-acrylic copolymer, which is a copolymer of a styrene monomer and an acrylic monomer (acrylic acid or methacrylic acid and their alkyl esters).

[0045] Here, the styrene-acrylic copolymer may be contained in the binder resin in a state constituted only by the styrene-acrylic copolymer, or may be contained in the binder resin in a state of a block copolymer, a graft copolymer, or a mixture thereof with other polymers.

[0046] The content of the styrene-acrylic polymer in the binder resin is 50% by mass or more, and preferably 80% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less. When the binder resin contains a styrene-acrylic copolymer, the developing characteristics and durability of the toner are improved.

[0047] As the binder resin, in addition to the styrene-acrylic copolymer, known resins or polymers used in toners can be used.

[0048] Examples of the styrene monomer include the following.

[0049] Styrene, α-methylstyrene, β-methylstyrene, o-methylstyrene, m-methylstyrene, p-methylstyrene, 2,4-dimethylstyrene, divinylbenzene, etc.

[0050] The styrene monomers may be used alone or in combination of two or more selected from these.

[0051] Examples of the acrylic monomer include the following.

[0052] acrylic acid alkyl esters such as methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, n-propyl acrylate, iso-propyl acrylate, n-butyl acrylate, iso-butyl acrylate, tert-butyl acrylate, n-amyl acrylate, n-hexyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, n-octyl acrylate, n-nonyl acrylate, n-decyl acrylate, and n-dodecyl acrylate; Methacrylic acid alkyl esters such as methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, n-propyl methacrylate, iso-propyl methacrylate, n-butyl methacrylate, iso-butyl methacrylate, tert-butyl methacrylate, n-amyl methacrylate, n-hexyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, n-octyl methacrylate, n-nonyl methacrylate, n-decyl methacrylate, and n-dodecyl methacrylate; acrylic acid diesters such as diethylene glycol diacrylate, triethylene glycol diacrylate, tetraethylene glycol diacrylate, polyethylene glycol diacrylate, and 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate; Acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, etc.

[0053] The acrylic monomers may be used alone or in combination of two or more selected from these.

[0054] The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the binder resin can be adjusted to a desired range by adjusting the polymerization ratio of the styrene monomer and the acrylic monomer. Specifically, the polymerization ratio of the styrene monomer and the acrylic monomer (styrene monomer:acrylic monomer) is preferably 65:35 to 100:0, and more preferably 70:30 to 85:15, based on mass. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the binder resin is preferably 25°C or higher and 65°C or lower.

[0055] As the polymerization initiator used in the production of the toner particles, various types such as a peroxide-based polymerization initiator and an azo-based polymerization initiator can be used.

[0056] Examples of the organic peroxide polymerization initiator include peroxy esters, peroxy dicarbonates, dialkyl peroxides, peroxy ketals, ketone peroxides, hydroperoxides, and diacyl peroxides.

[0057] Specific examples of organic peroxide-based polymerization initiators include peroxy esters such as t-butyl peroxyacetate, t-butyl peroxypivalate, t-butyl peroxyisobutyrate, t-hexyl peroxyacetate, t-hexyl peroxypivalate, t-hexyl peroxyisobutyrate, t-butyl peroxyisopropyl monocarbonate, and t-butyl peroxy 2-ethylhexyl monocarbonate; Examples of the peroxide include diacyl peroxides such as benzoyl peroxide; peroxydicarbonates such as diisopropyl peroxydicarbonate; peroxyketals such as 1,1-di-t-hexylperoxycyclohexane; dialkyl peroxides such as di-t-butyl peroxide; and others such as t-butylperoxyallyl monocarbonate.

[0058] Examples of the inorganic peroxide polymerization initiator include persulfates and hydrogen peroxide.

[0059] Examples of azo polymerization initiators include 2,2'-azobis-(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile), 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile, 1,1'-azobis(cyclohexane-1-carbonitrile), 2,2'-azobis-4-methoxy-2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile, azobisisobutyronitrile, and dimethyl-2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionate).

[0060] If necessary, two or more of these polymerization initiators can be used simultaneously.

[0061] The amount of the polymerization initiator used is preferably 0.10 parts by mass or more and 20.0 parts by mass or less based on 100.0 parts by mass of the polymerizable monomer.

[0062] (polar resin) The toner particles may also contain a polar resin. Examples of the polar resin include polyester resins. By using a polyester resin as the polar resin, when the resin is unevenly distributed on the surface of the toner particles to form a shell, the lubricity of the resin itself can be expected.

[0063] The polyester resin may be a condensation polymer of an alcohol monomer and a carboxylic acid monomer.

[0064] The alcohol monomers include the following:

[0065] Alkylene oxide adducts of bisphenol A such as polyoxypropylene(2.2)-2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane, polyoxypropylene(3.3)-2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane, polyoxyethylene(2.0)-2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane, polyoxypropylene(2.0)-polyoxyethylene(2.0)-2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane, and polyoxypropylene(6)-2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane; ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, neopentyl glycol, 1,4-butenediol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, dipropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polytetramethylene glycol, bisphenol A, hydrogenated bisphenol A, sorbitol, 1,2,3,6-hexanetetrol, 1,4-sorbitan, pentaerythritol, dipentaerythritol, tripentaerythritol, 1,2,4-butanetriol, 1,2,5-pentanetriol, glycerol, 2-methylpropanetriol, 2-methyl-1,2,4-butanetriol, trimethylolethane, trimethylolpropane, 1,3,5-trihydroxymethylbenzene.

[0066] On the other hand, examples of the carboxylic acid monomer include the following.

[0067] Aromatic dicarboxylic acids or their anhydrides, such as phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, and terephthalic acid; alkyl dicarboxylic acids or their anhydrides, such as succinic acid, adipic acid, sebacic acid, and azelaic acid; succinic acid or its anhydrides substituted with an alkyl or alkenyl group having 6 to 18 carbon atoms; unsaturated dicarboxylic acids or their anhydrides, such as fumaric acid, maleic acid, and citraconic acid.

[0068] In addition, the following monomers can also be used:

[0069] Polyhydric alcohols such as sorbitol, sorbitan, and oxyalkylene ether of novolak-type phenolic resin; and polyvalent carboxylic acids such as trimellitic acid, pyromellitic acid, benzophenonetetracarboxylic acid, and their anhydrides.

[0070] Among these, a condensation polymer of a bisphenol derivative represented by the following formula (I) and a divalent or higher carboxylic acid is preferred because it has good charging properties.

[0071] Examples of the divalent or higher carboxylic acid include fumaric acid, maleic acid, phthalic acid, terephthalic acid, trimellitic acid, pyromellitic acid, and acid anhydrides and lower alkyl esters thereof.

[0072] [ka] (In the formula, R represents an ethylene group or a propylene group, x and y are each an integer of 1 or more, and the average value of x+y is 2 or more and 10 or less.)

[0073] The content of the polar resin is preferably 1.0 parts by mass or more and 20.0 parts by mass or less, and more preferably 2.0 parts by mass or more and 10.0 parts by mass or less, relative to 100.0 parts by mass of the binder resin or the polymerizable monomer that produces the binder resin.

[0074] (Coloring agent) The toner particles may contain a colorant, such as any of various dyes and pigments that are conventionally known.

[0075] Examples of black colorants include carbon black, magnetic materials, and those toned black using the yellow, magenta, and cyan colorants described below.

[0076] Examples of yellow colorants include monoazo compounds, disazo compounds, condensed azo compounds, isoindolinone compounds, anthraquinone compounds, azo metal complexes, methine compounds, and allylamide compounds. Specific examples include CI Pigment Yellow 74, 93, 95, 109, 111, 128, 155, 174, 180, and 185.

[0077] Examples of magenta colorants include monoazo compounds, condensed azo compounds, diketopyrrolopyrrole compounds, anthraquinone compounds, quinacridone compounds, basic dye lake compounds, naphthol compounds, benzimidazolone compounds, thioindigo compounds, and perylene compounds.Specific examples include CI Pigment Red 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 23, 48:2, 48:3, 48:4, 57:1, 81:1, 122, 144, 146, 150, 166, 169, 177, 184, 185, 202, 206, 220, 221, 238, 254, 269, and CI Pigment Violet 19.

[0078] Examples of cyan colorants include copper phthalocyanine compounds and their derivatives, anthraquinone compounds, basic dye lake compounds, etc. Specific examples include CI Pigment Blue 1, 7, 15, 15:1, 15:2, 15:3, 15:4, 60, 62, 66, etc.

[0079] The toner can be used as a magnetic toner by incorporating a magnetic material into the toner particles, in which case the magnetic material can also function as a colorant.

[0080] Examples of the magnetic material include iron oxides such as magnetite, hematite, and ferrite; metals such as iron, cobalt, and nickel, and alloys and mixtures of these metals with metals such as aluminum, cobalt, copper, lead, magnesium, tin, zinc, antimony, beryllium, bismuth, cadmium, calcium, manganese, selenium, titanium, tungsten, and vanadium.

[0081] The colorant may be selected from the viewpoints of hue angle, chroma, brightness, light resistance, OHP transparency, and dispersibility in toner particles. The colorant may be used alone or in combination, or in the form of a solid solution.

[0082] The content of the colorant is preferably 1.0 part by mass or more and 20.0 parts by mass or less with respect to 100.0 parts by mass of the binder resin or the polymerizable monomer that produces the binder resin.

[0083] (wax) The wax used in the present invention is not particularly limited and any known wax can be used. However, the wax should have a solubility parameter SPw of 8.40 (cal / cm 3 ) 1 / 2 More than 9.00(cal / cm 3 ) 1 / 2 It is preferable that:

[0084] From the viewpoint of compatibility with the styrene-acrylic copolymer contained in the binder resin, the wax is preferably an ester wax which is a condensation product of an alcohol component and a carboxylic acid component.

[0085] In the present invention, the wax is not particularly limited as long as it satisfies the above relationship, but from the viewpoints of compatibility with the styrene-acrylic copolymer contained in the binder resin and releasability during fixing, ester wax is preferred. Furthermore, monofunctional or bifunctional ester wax is preferred because it has better plasticity.

[0086] Examples of the monofunctional or difunctional ester wax include esters of mono- or di-valent linear saturated alcohols and mono-valent linear saturated fatty acids, and esters of mono- or di-valent linear saturated fatty acids and mono-valent linear saturated alcohols.

[0087] As the monohydric linear saturated alcohol, an alcohol having 6 to 24 carbon atoms is used, and examples thereof include, but are not limited to, the following compounds: hexanol, heptanol, octanol, nonyl alcohol, decanol, lauryl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, palmityl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, and behenyl alcohol.

[0088] As the dihydric linear saturated alcohol, a diol having 6 to 24 carbon atoms is used, and examples thereof include, but are not limited to, the following compounds: 1,6-hexanediol, 1,7-heptanediol, 1,8-octanediol, 1,9-nonanediol, 1,10-decanediol, 1,12-dodecanediol, 1,14-tetradecanediol, 1,16-hexadecanediol, 1,18-octadecanediol, 1,20-icosanediol, 1,22-docosanediol, and 1,24-tetracosanediol.

[0089] As the monovalent linear saturated fatty acid, those having 8 to 24 carbon atoms are used, and examples thereof include, but are not limited to, the following compounds: hexanoic acid, octylic acid, nonylic acid, decanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and behenic acid.

[0090] As the divalent linear saturated fatty acid, a dicarboxylic acid having 8 to 24 carbon atoms is used, and examples thereof include, but are not limited to, the following compounds: suberic acid, sebacic acid, dodecanedioic acid, tetradecanedioic acid, hexadecanedioic acid, octadecanedioic acid, icosane diacid, docosane diacid, and tetracosane diacid.

[0091] The wax is preferably used in an amount of 1.0 part by mass or more and 30.0 parts by mass or less per 100.0 parts by mass of the binder resin.

[0092] The toner particles may further contain a hydrocarbon wax in addition to the ester wax.

[0093] Examples of the hydrocarbon wax include aliphatic hydrocarbon waxes such as low molecular weight polyethylene, low molecular weight polypropylene, microcrystalline wax, paraffin wax, and Fischer-Tropsch wax; oxides of aliphatic hydrocarbon waxes such as oxidized polyethylene wax, or block copolymers thereof; and waxes obtained by grafting aliphatic hydrocarbon waxes with vinyl monomers such as styrene and acrylic acid.

[0094] The content of the hydrocarbon wax is preferably 0.5 parts by mass or more and 5.0 parts by mass or less with respect to 100 parts by mass of the binder resin.

[0095] The melting point of the ester wax and the hydrocarbon wax is preferably from 30° C. to 130° C., and more preferably from 60° C. to 100° C. By exhibiting such thermal characteristics, it is easy to ensure that the obtained toner has both low-temperature fixability and heat-resistant storage stability.

[0096] (Charge control agent) The toner particles may contain a charge control agent. The charge control agent may include the following:

[0097] Organometallic compounds, chelate compounds, monoazo metal compounds, acetylacetone metal compounds, urea derivatives, metal-containing salicylic acid compounds, metal-containing naphthoic acid compounds, quaternary ammonium salts, calixarenes, silicon compounds, non-metal carboxylic acid compounds and their derivatives, sulfonic acid resins having sulfonic acid groups, sulfonate bases, or sulfonate ester groups.

[0098] Specifically, the following may be mentioned as the negative charge control agent.

[0099] Metal compounds of aromatic carboxylic acids such as salicylic acid, alkylsalicylic acid, dialkylsalicylic acid, naphthoic acid, dicarboxylic acid, etc.; polymers or copolymers having a sulfonic acid group, a sulfonate salt group, or a sulfonate ester group; metal salts or metal complexes of azo dyes or azo pigments; boron compounds, silicon compounds, calixarenes, etc.

[0100] On the other hand, examples of the charge control agent for positive charging include the following.

[0101] Quaternary ammonium salts, polymeric compounds having quaternary ammonium salts in the side chains; guanidine compounds; nigrosine compounds; imidazole compounds, etc.

[0102] Of these, negative charge control agents are often used.

[0103] Examples of the polymer or copolymer having a sulfonic acid group, a sulfonate group or a sulfonate ester group include homopolymers of sulfonic acid group-containing vinyl monomers typified by styrenesulfonic acid, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, 2-methacrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, vinylsulfonic acid, methacrylsulfonic acid and the like, and copolymers of the sulfonic acid group-containing vinyl monomers with other vinyl monomers.

[0104] The content of the charge control agent is preferably 0.01 parts by mass or more and 20.0 parts by mass or less, and more preferably 0.1 parts by mass or more and 10.0 parts by mass or less, relative to 100.0 parts by mass of the binder resin or the polymerizable monomer that produces the binder resin.

[0105] (External additives) From the viewpoint of improving image quality, it is preferable that the toner contains an external additive added to the toner particles.

[0106] The external additives include inorganic fine particles such as silica fine particles, titanium oxide fine particles, and aluminum oxide fine particles.

[0107] The inorganic fine particles are preferably hydrophobized with a hydrophobizing agent such as a silane coupling agent, silicone oil, or a mixture thereof.

[0108] The content of the external additive is preferably 0.1 parts by mass or more and 5.0 parts by mass or less, and more preferably 0.1 parts by mass or more and 3.0 parts by mass or less, relative to 100.0 parts by mass of the toner particles.

[0109] [Methods for measuring various physical properties] The calculation and measurement methods for the various physical property values ​​defined in the present invention and in the examples described below will be described below.

[0110] <Measuring method for volume average median diameter (Dv50) and number average median diameter (Dn50)> The volume average median diameter (Dv50) and number average median diameter (Dn50) of toner particles are calculated as follows. The measurement device used is a precision particle size distribution measurement device using the narrow hole electrical resistance method, "Coulter Counter Multisizer 3" (registered trademark, manufactured by Beckman Coulter, Inc.), equipped with a 100 μm aperture tube. The measurement conditions are set and the measurement data is analyzed using the accompanying dedicated software "Beckman Coulter Multisizer 3 Version 3.51" (manufactured by Beckman Coulter, Inc.). The measurement is performed using an effective measurement channel count of 25,000 channels.

[0111] The electrolyte solution used for the measurement is prepared by dissolving special grade sodium chloride in ion-exchanged water to a concentration of approximately 1% by mass, for example, "ISOTON II" (manufactured by Beckman Coulter).

[0112] Before carrying out the measurements and analyses, the dedicated software was set up as follows.

[0113] In the "Change standard measurement method (SOMME)" screen of the dedicated software, set the total count number in the control mode to 50,000 particles, the number of measurements to 1, and the Kd value to the value obtained using "Standard particle 10.0 μm" (Beckman Coulter). Press the "Threshold / Noise level measurement button" to automatically set the threshold and noise level. In addition, set the current to 1600 μA, the gain to 2, the electrolyte to ISOTON II, and check "Flush aperture tube after measurement."

[0114] In the "Pulse to particle size conversion setting" screen of the dedicated software, the bin interval is set to logarithmic particle size, the particle size bin is set to 256 particle size bins, and the particle size range is set to 2 μm to 60 μm.

[0115] The specific measurement method is as follows. (1) Pour about 200 ml of the electrolyte solution into a 250 ml round-bottom glass beaker made exclusively for the Multisizer 3, set it on the sample stand, and stir the stirrer rod counterclockwise at 24 revolutions per second. Then, use the "aperture flush" function of the dedicated software to remove dirt and air bubbles from inside the aperture tube. (2) About 30 ml of the electrolyte solution is placed in a 100 ml flat-bottom glass beaker, and about 0.3 ml of a dilution of "Contaminon N" (a 10% aqueous solution of a pH 7 neutral detergent for cleaning precision measuring instruments made of a nonionic surfactant, anionic surfactant, and organic builder, manufactured by Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) diluted about three times by mass with ion-exchanged water is added as a dispersant. (3) Prepare an ultrasonic disperser "Ultrasonic Dispension System Tetra150" (manufactured by Nikkaki Bios Co., Ltd.) that has two built-in oscillators with an oscillation frequency of 50 kHz and a phase shift of 180 degrees, and has an electrical output of 120 W. Place approximately 3.3 liters of ion-exchanged water in the ultrasonic disperser's water tank, and add approximately 2 ml of Conaminon N to this water tank. (4) The beaker (2) is set in the beaker fixing hole of the ultrasonic disperser, and the ultrasonic disperser is operated. Then, the height position of the beaker is adjusted so that the resonance state of the liquid surface of the electrolyte solution in the beaker is maximized. (5) While the electrolyte solution in the beaker in (4) is irradiated with ultrasonic waves, about 10 mg of toner is added little by little to the electrolyte solution and dispersed. Then, ultrasonic dispersion treatment is continued for another 60 seconds. During ultrasonic dispersion, the water temperature in the water tank is appropriately adjusted to be 10°C or higher and 40°C or lower. (6) Using a pipette, add the electrolyte solution (5) in which the toner is dispersed to the round-bottom beaker (1) placed in the sample stand, and adjust the measurement concentration to about 5%. Then, measurements are continued until the number of particles measured reaches 50,000. (7) The measurement data is analyzed using the dedicated software provided with the device to calculate the volume average median diameter (Dv50) and number average median diameter (Dn50).

[0116] <Calculation of particle size distribution> The particle size distribution was determined using the numerical value calculated by the following formula (2). Volume average median diameter (Dv50) ÷ Number average median diameter (Dn50) ... Equation (2) The closer the index value is to 1, the sharper the particle size distribution. Hereinafter, this index will be referred to as "Dv50 / Dn50."

[0117] <Method of measuring peak molecular weight (Mp) and weight average molecular weight (Mw)> The peak molecular weight (Mp) and weight average molecular weight (Mw) of crystalline materials, resins, and toners are measured using gel permeation chromatography (GPC) as follows. First, the sample to be measured is dissolved in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at room temperature. If it is difficult to dissolve, heat it to a temperature of 35°C or less. The resulting solution is then filtered through a solvent-resistant membrane filter "Myshoridisc" (manufactured by Tosoh Corporation) with a pore size of 0.2 μm to obtain a sample solution. The sample solution is adjusted so that the concentration of components soluble in THF is 0.8% by mass. This sample solution is used to perform measurements under the following conditions. Equipment: High-speed GPC equipment "HLC-8220GPC" [Tosoh Corporation] Column: 2 columns of LF-604 [Showa Denko Co., Ltd.] Eluent:THF Flow rate: 0.6mL / min Oven temperature: 40℃ Sample injection volume: 0.020mL In calculating the molecular weight of the sample, a molecular weight calibration curve prepared using standard polystyrene resins (product names: "TSK Standard Polystyrene F-850, F-450, F-288, F-128, F-80, F-40, F-20, F-10, F-4, F-2, F-1, A-5000, A-2500, A-1000, A-500", manufactured by Tosoh Corporation) is used.

[0118] <Melting point (Tm) measurement method> The melting point of the crystalline material (crystalline resin or wax) is measured using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) Q2000 (manufactured by TA Instruments) under the following conditions. Heating rate: 10℃ / min Measurement start temperature: 20℃ End of measurement temperature: 180℃ The melting points of indium and zinc are used to correct the temperature of the detector, and the heat of fusion of indium is used to correct the amount of heat. Specifically, about 5 mg of sample is precisely weighed and placed in an aluminum pan, and a measurement is performed once. An empty aluminum pan is used as a reference. The peak temperature of the maximum endothermic peak at that time is taken as the melting point.

[0119] <Measurement of glass transition temperature (Tg)> The glass transition temperature of an amorphous resin is the temperature (°C) at the point where a line equidistant in the vertical direction from a line extending the baseline before and after the onset of a specific heat change intersects with the curve of the stepwise change portion of the glass transition in the reversing heat flow curve, in a reversing heat flow curve during heating obtained by differential scanning calorimetry in the above-mentioned method for measuring the melting point.

[0120] [Configuration included in the embodiment of the present invention] The disclosure of this embodiment includes the following configuration. (Configuration 1) A dispersing machine for treating a liquid to be treated by feeding the liquid, The dispersing machine has a rotor, a stator arranged to face the rotor, and a shearing region for shearing the liquid to be treated, The rotor has an annular protrusion portion provided annularly about a rotation axis of the rotor, and a non-protrusion portion other than the annular protrusion portion, The annular protrusion has a plurality of slits formed in a centrifugal direction of the annular protrusion, The non-protruding portion has a smooth portion A that is composed of a smooth surface a, The stator has a smooth portion B composed of a smooth surface b facing the smooth surface a of the smooth portion A with a gap therebetween, and a supply port for supplying the workpiece to the shear region, The shear region is formed by the smooth surface a of the smooth portion A facing the smooth surface b of the smooth portion B, and is formed inside the annular protrusion, The area of ​​the smooth surface a of the smooth portion A is R (mm 2 ), and the area of ​​the smooth surface b of the smooth portion B is S (mm 2 ), the relationship between R and S is as follows: 0.55≦S / R≦0.95 A dispersing machine characterized by satisfying the above requirements. (Configuration 2) The annular protrusion is a comb-like annular protrusion having a plurality of small protrusions, The plurality of slits are slits formed between the plurality of small protrusions. 2. The disperser according to claim 1. (Configuration 3) When the distance between the portion of the smooth surface a that forms the shear region and the portion of the smooth surface b that forms the shear region is h (mm), and the distance between the annular protrusion and the stator in the centrifugal direction is v (mm), the relationship between h and v is as follows: 0.4≦h / v≦5.0 3. The dispersing machine according to claim 1 or 2, which satisfies the above requirement. (Configuration 4) When the distance between the portion of the smooth surface a that forms the shear region and the portion of the smooth surface b that forms the shear region is h (mm) and the distance between the plurality of slits is K (mm), the relationship between h and K is as follows: 0.2≦h / K≦5.0 4. The dispersing machine according to any one of configurations 1 to 3, which satisfies the above requirement. (Configuration 5) When the distance between the portion of the smooth surface a that forms the shear region and the portion of the smooth surface b that forms the shear region is h (mm) and the height of the annular protrusion is H (mm), the relationship between h and H is as follows: 10≦H / h≦60 5. The dispersing machine according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, which satisfies the above requirement. (Configuration 6) The disperser according to any one of Configurations 1 to 5, wherein the opening ratio of the outer peripheral surface of the annular protrusion formed by the plurality of slits is 10 area % or more and 30 area % or less. (Configuration 7) When the distance between the portion of the smooth surface a that forms the shear region and the portion of the smooth surface b that forms the shear region is h (mm), said h is: 0.6≦h≦3.0 7. The dispersing machine according to any one of configurations 1 to 6, which satisfies the above requirement. (Configuration 8) The disperser according to any one of Configurations 1 to 7, wherein the supply port is provided in the stator so as to have an intersection with the rotation axis of the rotor or an extension of the rotation axis. (Configuration 9) A method for producing resin particles, using the dispersing machine according to any one of Configurations 1 to 8. (Configuration 10) A method for producing resin particles using the dispersing machine according to any one of Configurations 1 to 8, The liquid to be treated contains a precursor of a resin particle and a liquid incompatible with the precursor of the resin particle. A method for producing resin particles. (Configuration 11) A granulation step of forming particles of a polymerizable monomer composition containing a polymerizable monomer and a colorant in an aqueous dispersion medium to obtain a dispersion of the particles of the polymerizable monomer composition; a polymerization step of polymerizing the polymerizable monomer in the particles after the granulation step to obtain a dispersion of toner particles; 1. A method for producing toner particles comprising the steps of: The granulation step is a step using a dispersing machine according to any one of configurations 1 to 8. A method for producing toner particles. EXAMPLES

[0121] The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following examples. A method for producing toner particles will be described below. In the examples and comparative examples, all parts are by weight unless otherwise specified.

[0122] Example 1 Toner particles were prepared according to the following procedure.

[0123] (Pigment dispersion composition preparation step) 15.9 parts of styrene were mixed with 2.95 parts of CI Pigment Blue 15:3 manufactured by Dainichi Seika Chemicals Co., Ltd. Furthermore, 0.324 parts of a charge control agent (Bontron E88 manufactured by Orient Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), 0.075 parts of an aluminum salicylate compound, and 0.36 parts of a sulfonic acid group-containing resin (Acrybase FCA-1001-NS manufactured by Fujikura Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) were prepared. These were introduced into an attritor (manufactured by Nippon Coke Co., Ltd.) and stirred at 200 rpm at 25°C for 300 minutes using zirconia beads with a diameter of 3.0 mm to prepare a pigment dispersion composition.

[0124] (Polymerizable monomer composition preparation step) The following materials were placed in a container and mixed and dispersed at a peripheral speed of 20 m / s using a TK homomixer (manufactured by Tokushu Kika Kogyo Co., Ltd.). Pigment dispersion composition 17.89 parts Styrene 8.59 parts n-Butyl acrylate 8.75 parts 1.30 parts polyester resin 1 (Mw=11000, Tg=76℃, acid value=5.3mgKOH / g) Styrene-methacrylic acid-methyl methacrylate-α-methylstyrene copolymer 4.59 copies (styrene / methacrylic acid / methyl methacrylate / α-methylstyrene=80.85 / 2.50 / 1.65 / 15.0, Mp=19700, Mw=7900, Tg=96°C, acid value=12.0mgKOH / g, Mw / Mn=2.1) After further heating to 60°C, Hydrocarbon wax (HNP-51; manufactured by Nippon Seiro Co., Ltd.) 3.24 parts Ethylene glycol distearate 0.97 parts Dibehenyl adipate 1.30 parts The mixture was dispersed and mixed for 30 minutes.

[0125] (Aqueous dispersion medium preparation process) In the granulation tank shown in Figure 22, 81.25 parts of ion-exchanged water, 1.51 parts of sodium phosphate dodecahydrate, and 0.725 parts of 10% by mass hydrochloric acid were added to prepare a sodium phosphate aqueous solution, which was then heated to 60°C. 0.88 parts of calcium chloride dihydrate were dissolved in 5.85 parts of ion-exchanged water to obtain a calcium chloride aqueous solution. The calcium chloride aqueous solution was added to the sodium phosphate aqueous solution, and the mixture was stirred for 30 minutes at a peripheral speed of 25 m / s using a Clearmix (manufactured by M Technique Co., Ltd.) to prepare a poorly water-soluble inorganic fine particle dispersion.

[0126] (granulation process) The polymerizable monomer composition was put into the aqueous dispersion medium in the granulation tank shown in FIG. 22, and stirred for 2 minutes at a peripheral speed of 20 m / s using Clearmix (manufactured by M Technique Co., Ltd.) at a temperature of 60° C. under a nitrogen atmosphere. After that, the mixture of the aqueous dispersion medium and the polymerizable monomer composition in the granulation tank was sent to the external circulation path and sent to the disperser of the present invention. The rotor of the disperser was rotated at a peripheral speed of 40 m / s, and the mixture of the aqueous dispersion medium and the polymerizable monomer composition was sheared and returned to the granulation tank. The pressure on the secondary side of the disperser was set to 0.25 MPa. The pressure on the primary side was 0.17 MPa. The processing time in the disperser was 45 minutes, and the number of passes at this time was 5. This resulted in a dispersion of the polymerizable monomer composition.

[0127] The configuration requirements of the dispersing machine used are shown in Table 1.

[0128] (Reaction process) The dispersion of the polymerizable monomer composition was transferred to another tank, and 9.0 parts of t-butyl peroxypivalate, a polymerization initiator, was added while stirring with a paddle stirring blade. The temperature was then raised to 73°C and reacted for 4 hours. The temperature was then further raised to 90°C and reacted for 2 hours to obtain a dispersion of toner particles.

[0129] (Washing / filtration / drying process) After cooling the dispersion of toner particles, hydrochloric acid was added to adjust the pH to 1.2 and the mixture was stirred for 1 hour. After that, the dispersion of toner particles was filtered, washed with the same amount of water as the filtrate, and filtered to obtain wet toner particles.

[0130] The obtained wet toner particles were air-dried in a thermostatic chamber at 35° C. for 3 days to obtain toner particles 1.

[0131] The "Dv50 / Dn50" which is an index of the sharpness of the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 1 was 1.11. The results are shown in Table 2 together with the evaluation rank according to the following evaluation criteria. (Evaluation Criteria) A: Dv50 / Dn50 is 1.15 or less B: Dv50 / Dn50 is greater than 1.15 and less than 1.20 C: Dv50 / Dn50 is greater than 1.20 and less than 1.25 D:Dv50 / Dn50 is greater than 1.25

[0132] [Examples 2 to 4] Toner particles 2 to 4 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 1, except that the opening of the supply port was adjusted to change the relationship S / R between the area R (mm) of the smooth surface a of smooth portion A in the shear region and the area S (mm) of the smooth surface b of smooth portion B.

[0133] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 2 to 4.

[0134] Example 5 Toner particles 5 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 1, except that the relationship S / R between the area R (mm) of the smooth surface a of smooth portion A in the shear region and the area S (mm) of the smooth surface b of smooth portion B was set to 0.95 by adjusting the opening of the supply port.

[0135] In the granulation process, the pressure on the primary side of the disperser was 0.05 MPa higher than in Example 1. In addition, pulsation of the flow rate was also observed. This is thought to be due to the smaller opening of the supply port, and is considered to be the limit of stable operation of the disperser.

[0136] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 5.

[0137] Example 6 Toner particles 6 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 1, except that the rotor shape of the dispersing machine was a rotor in which adjacent annular protrusions were partially connected as shown in Fig. 7. The number of slits was adjusted to make the opening ratio the same.

[0138] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 6.

[0139] [Examples 7 to 10] Toner particles 7 to 10 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 1, except that the relationship h / v between the distance h (mm) between the portion of smooth surface a that forms the shear region and the portion of smooth surface b that forms the shear region, and the distance v (mm) between the annular protrusion and the stator in the centrifugal direction, was changed.

[0140] When h / v was increased compared to Example 1, the distance v (mm) between the annular protrusion and the stator in the centrifugal direction was decreased. When h / v was decreased compared to Example 1, the distance v (mm) between the annular protrusion and the stator in the centrifugal direction was increased.

[0141] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 7 to 10.

[0142] [Examples 11 to 14] Toner particles 11 to 14 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 1, except that the relationship h / K, which is the interval h (mm) between the portion of smooth surface a that forms the shear region and the portion of smooth surface b that forms the shear region, and the interval K (mm) between the multiple slits, was changed. The change in h / K was achieved by changing the interval K (mm) between the multiple slits, and the aperture ratio was adjusted by the number of slits.

[0143] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 11 to 14.

[0144] Example 15 Toner particles 15 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 1, except that the distance h (mm) between the portion of smooth surface a that forms the shear region and the portion of smooth surface b that forms the shear region was set to 3.0 mm.

[0145] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 15.

[0146] [Examples 16 and 17] Toner particles 16 and 17 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 15, except that the relationship H / h between the distance h (mm) between the portion of smooth surface a that forms the shear region and the portion of smooth surface b that forms the shear region, and the height H (mm) of the annular protrusion were changed. The change in H / h was achieved by changing the height H (mm) of the annular protrusion.

[0147] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 16 and 17.

[0148] Example 18 Toner particles 18 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 1, except that the distance h (mm) between the portion of smooth surface a that forms the shear region and the portion of smooth surface b that forms the shear region was set to 1.0 mm.

[0149] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 18.

[0150] [Examples 19 and 20] Toner particles 19 and 20 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 18, except that the relationship H / h, which is the distance h (mm) between the portion of smooth surface a that forms the shear region and the portion of smooth surface b that forms the shear region, and the height H (mm) of the annular protrusion were changed. The change in H / h was achieved by changing the height H (mm) of the annular protrusion.

[0151] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 19 and 20.

[0152] [Examples 21 to 24] Except for changing the aperture ratio of the plurality of slits on the outer circumferential surface of the annular protrusion, toner particles 21 to 24 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 1. The aperture ratio was adjusted by the number of slits.

[0153] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 21 to 24.

[0154] Example 25 Toner particles 25 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 1, except that the height H (mm) of the annular protrusion was changed and H / h was set to 10.

[0155] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 25.

[0156] [Examples 26 and 27] Toner particles 26 and 27 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 25, except that the distance h (mm) between the portion of smooth surface a that forms the shear region and the portion of smooth surface b that forms the shear region was changed.

[0157] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 26 and 27.

[0158] Example 28 Toner particles 28 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 1, except that the distance h (mm) between the portion of smooth surface a that forms the shear region and the portion of smooth surface b that forms the shear region was changed.

[0159] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 28.

[0160] Example 29 In contrast to Example 1 in which the center of the supply port coincides with the extension of the rotation axis, the position of the supply port was changed so that the center of the supply port 8 does not overlap with the extension of the rotation axis C and the supply port and the extension of the rotation axis intersect, as shown in Figures 8 and 9. Other than that, toner particles 29 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 1.

[0161] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 29.

[0162] Example 30 Unlike Example 1, in which the center of the supply port coincides with the extension of the rotation axis, toner particles 30 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as Example 1, except that the supply port was provided at a position where the supply port 8 and the extension of the rotation axis C did not intersect, as shown in Figures 10 and 11.

[0163] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 30.

[0164] Example 31 12 and 13, the annular protrusions 5 were provided in two concentric stages, with the outermost annular protrusion having the same shape as in Example 1. Toner particles 31 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 1, except that the outer periphery of the inner annular protrusion was set to be 70% of the rotor diameter.

[0165] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 31.

[0166] Example 32 Toner particles 32 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 31, except that the relationship S / R between the area R (mm) of the smooth surface a of smooth portion A in the shear region and the area S (mm) of the smooth surface b of smooth portion B was changed by adjusting the opening of the portion continuing from the supply port.

[0167] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 32.

[0168] Example 33 14 and 15, the annular protrusions on the outermost periphery of the rotor used in Example 31 were eliminated, leaving only the inner annular protrusions. Also, by adjusting the opening of the portion continuing from the supply port, the relationship S / R between the area R (mm) of the smooth surface a of smooth portion A in the shear region and the area S (mm) of the smooth surface b of smooth portion B became 0.60 with this device configuration.

[0169] Other than that, toner particles 33 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 1.

[0170] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 33.

[0171] Example 34 Toner particles 34 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 33, except that the relationship S / R between the area R (mm) of the smooth surface a of smooth portion A in the shear region and the area S (mm) of the smooth surface b of smooth portion B was changed by adjusting the opening of the portion continuing from the supply port.

[0172] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 34.

[0173] Example 35 As shown in Figures 16 and 17, toner particles 35 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 1, except that a rotor was provided in which the relationship between the distance D (mm) between the outermost end of smooth portion A and the surface forming the slit on smooth surface a, and the height H (mm) of the annular protrusion was 0.3.

[0174] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 35.

[0175] Example 36 As shown in Figures 16 and 17, toner particles 36 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 1, except that a rotor was provided in which the relationship between the distance D (mm) between the outermost end of smooth portion A and the surface forming the slit on smooth surface a and the height H (mm) of the annular protrusion was 0.5.

[0176] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 36.

[0177] Example 37 As shown in Figures 16 and 17, toner particles 37 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 1, except that a rotor was provided in which the relationship between the distance D (mm) between the outermost end of smooth portion A and the surface forming the slit on smooth surface a, and the height H (mm) of the annular protrusion was 0.7.

[0178] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles.

[0179] Example 38 As shown in Figures 16 and 17, toner particles 38 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 1, except that a rotor was provided in which the relationship between the distance D (mm) between the outermost end of smooth portion A and the surface forming the slit on smooth surface a, and the height H (mm) of the annular protrusion was 0.8.

[0180] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 38.

[0181] Example 39 Toner particles 39 were obtained under the same conditions and in the same manner as in Example 37, except that the number of passes was set to six.

[0182] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 39.

[0183] Example 40 Toner particles 40 were obtained under the same conditions and in the same manner as in Example 38, except that the number of passes was set to six.

[0184] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 40.

[0185] Comparative Example 1 A dispersing machine was used in which the annular protrusions of the rotor and the annular protrusions of the stator were fitted together, as shown in Fig. 18, and the annular protrusions of the rotor and the annular protrusions of the stator were arranged concentrically in multiple stages. The h / v, h / K, H / h, and aperture ratio of each annular protrusion were the same as those of the annular protrusions of Example 1. Other than that, toner particles 41 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as those of Example 1.

[0186] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 41.

[0187] Comparative Example 2 19, a dispersing machine equipped with a rotor having no annular protrusion was used. Except for the above, toner particles 42 were obtained under the same conditions and in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0188] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 42.

[0189] Comparative Example 3 Toner particles 43 were obtained under the same conditions and by the same method as in Example 1, except that the relationship S / R between the area R (mm) of the smooth surface a of smooth portion A in the shear region and the area S (mm) of the smooth surface b of smooth portion B was set to 0.50 by adjusting the opening of the portion continuing from the supply port.

[0190] Table 1 shows the configuration requirements of the dispersing machine in the granulation step, and Table 2 shows the particle size distribution of the obtained toner particles 43.

[0191] [Table 1]

[0192] [Table 2] [Explanation of symbols]

[0193] 1: disperser, 2: rotating shaft, 3: rotor, 4: stator, 5: annular protrusion, 6: non-protrusion, 7: shear area, 8: supply port, 9: slit, 10: pump, 11: pressure gauge, 12: valve, 13: flow meter, 14: tank, 15: mixing mechanism, a: smooth surface a, A: smooth part A, b: smooth surface b, B: smooth part B, C: rotor rotating shaft, h: spacing h of parts forming shear area, v: centrifugal spacing v between annular protrusion and stator, K: spacing K of slits, S: S field of view (view direction relative to the rotor in Figures 6, 7, 20, and 21), Ss: area of ​​slit Ss, Sp: area Sp of annular protrusion

Claims

1. A method for producing resin particles using a disperser for treating a liquid to be treated by feeding the liquid to the disperser, The disperser has a rotor, a stator arranged to face the rotor, and a shearing region for shearing the liquid to be treated, the rotor has an annular protrusion provided annularly around a rotation axis of the rotor, and a non-protrusion other than the annular protrusion, the annular protrusion has a plurality of slits formed in a centrifugal direction of the annular protrusion, The non-protruding portion has a smooth portion A that is composed of a smooth surface a, The stator has a smooth portion B composed of a smooth surface b facing the smooth surface a of the smooth portion A with a gap therebetween, and a supply port for supplying the workpiece to the shearing region, the shear region is formed by the opposing smooth surface a of the smooth portion A and the smooth surface b of the smooth portion B, and is formed inside the annular protrusion, The area of ​​the smooth surface a of the smooth portion A is R (mm 2 ), and the area of ​​the smooth surface b of the smooth portion B is S (mm 2 ) the relationship between R and S is: 0.55≦S / R≦0.95 A method for producing resin particles, characterized in that

2. the annular protrusion is a comb-like annular protrusion having a plurality of small protrusions, The plurality of slits are slits formed between the plurality of small protrusions. The method for producing the resin particles according to claim 1 .

3. When the distance between the portion of the smooth surface a that forms the shear region and the portion of the smooth surface b that forms the shear region is h (mm), and the distance between the annular protrusion and the stator in the centrifugal direction is v (mm), the relationship between h and v is as follows: 0.4≦h / v≦5.0 The method for producing resin particles according to claim 1 or 2, which satisfies the above condition.

4. When the distance between the portion of the smooth surface a that forms the shear region and the portion of the smooth surface b that forms the shear region is h (mm), and the distance between the plurality of slits is K (mm), the relationship between h and K is as follows: 0.2≦h / K≦5.0 The method for producing resin particles according to claim 1 or 2, which satisfies the above condition.

5. When the distance between the portion of the smooth surface a that forms the shear region and the portion of the smooth surface b that forms the shear region is h (mm), and the height of the annular protrusion is H (mm), the relationship between h and H is as follows: 10≦H / h≦60 The method for producing resin particles according to claim 1 or 2, which satisfies the above condition.

6. 3. The method for producing resin particles according to claim 1, wherein the opening ratio of the plurality of slits on the outer peripheral surface of the annular protrusion is 10% by area or more and 30% by area or less.

7. When the distance between the portion of the smooth surface a that forms the shear region and the portion of the smooth surface b that forms the shear region is h (mm), h is: 0.6≦h≦3.0 The method for producing resin particles according to claim 1 or 2, which satisfies the above condition.

8. 3. The method for producing resin particles according to claim 1, wherein the supply port is provided in the stator so as to intersect with the rotation axis of the rotor or an extension of the rotation axis.

9. A method for producing resin particles described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the liquid to be treated contains a precursor of resin particles and a liquid that is incompatible with the precursor of the resin particles.

10. a granulation step of forming particles of a polymerizable monomer composition containing a polymerizable monomer and a colorant in an aqueous dispersion medium to obtain a dispersion of the particles of the polymerizable monomer composition; a polymerization step of polymerizing the polymerizable monomer in the particles after the granulation step to obtain a dispersion of toner particles; 1. A method for producing toner particles comprising: The granulation step is a step using the disperser according to claim 1. Method for producing toner particles.

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