Molded article and method for manufacturing the same, and toner-containing material and method for producing the same

Abstract

To provide a molded article which is excellent in resistance to brittleness, is hardly collapsible and uses a toner.SOLUTION: A molded article is formed by heating and molding a toner particle group 110 composed of a plurality of toner particles containing a binder resin, a coloring agent and a release agent. In the molded article, at least a part of the toner particles may be molten and solidified. When the total mass of the molded article is 100 mass%, the content of the component derived from the toner particle group is preferably 12 to 40 mass% or 55 to 100 mass%. The molded article may be a drawing material.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a molded article and a method for producing the same, and to a toner-containing material and a method for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Currently, toner that is not used in products during the toner manufacturing process is often mixed with industrial waste and thermally recycled as a combustion aid. However, this is not the optimal method of reuse from the perspective of circular economy and other resource recycling initiatives.

[0003] For example, a colored writing implement formed by compressing and solidifying toner that is not made into a product has been proposed as a way to use the toner with higher added value (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 discloses a colored writing implement formed by compressing and solidifying colored fine particles containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-120907 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The colored writing implement described in Patent Document 1 is formed by compressing and solidifying colored fine particles. Such molded articles formed by compressing and solidifying colored fine particles have the problem that grain boundaries of the colored fine particles (e.g., toner particles) remain in the molded article, and the grain boundaries are prone to brittle fracture and crumble during use. Therefore, it was found that the colored writing implement described in Patent Document 1 does not have sufficient brittle resistance as a colored writing implement, and there are issues with the writing feel.

[0006] Currently, there is a particularly increasing demand for the reuse of toner that is not used in products (hereinafter also referred to as "unused toner") generated in the toner manufacturing process, from the perspective of resource recycling, and there is also a strong desire to develop appropriate means for utilizing unused toner.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems and circumstances. The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a means for enabling a product formed using a toner to have appropriate performance as the product. For example, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a molded product that is highly brittle-resistant and does not easily crumble, when the product formed using a toner is a toner-containing product that contains a toner, and to provide a toner-containing product that has improved toner dispersibility and, for example, suppresses the occurrence of uneven coloring. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present inventors have investigated the causes of the above problems in order to solve them. As a result, they have found that heating the toner during molding reduces the grain boundaries in the molded product, improving resistance to brittleness and making it less likely to crumble, which led to the present invention. In particular, they have found that melting the toner during molding eliminates the grain boundaries and makes it uniform, thereby further improving resistance to brittleness and making it less likely to crumble. They have also found that heating the toner when mixed with a resin or the like improves the toner's dispersibility, which led to the present invention. That is, the above problems of the present invention are solved by the following means.

[0009] 1. A molded product obtained by heating and molding a toner particle group consisting of a plurality of toner particles containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent.

[0010] 2. The molded article according to item 1, wherein at least one of the toner particles is in a state where at least a portion of the toner particle is melted and solidified.

[0011] 3. The molded article according to item 1 or 2, characterized in that the content of components derived from the toner particle group is 12 to 40% by mass or 55 to 100% by mass when the total mass of the molded article is 100% by mass.

[0012] 4. The molded article according to item 1 or 2, wherein the toner particles further contain an external additive.

[0013] 5. The molded article according to item 1 or 2, further comprising a second resin in addition to the toner particles.

[0014] 6. The molded article according to item 1 or 2, characterized in that the molded article is an art material.

[0015] 7. The molded article according to item 1 or 2, characterized in that the molded article is a candle.

[0016] 8. The molded article according to item 1 or 2, characterized in that the molded article is a powder.

[0017] 9. The molded article according to item 1 or 2, characterized in that the molded article is made of clay.

[0018] 10. A method for producing a molded product, comprising a step of heating and molding a toner particle group composed of toner particles containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent.

[0019] 11. A toner-containing material characterized by comprising a toner particle group formed by heating and cooling toner particles containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent.

[0020] 12. The toner-containing material according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the toner particles is in a state where at least a portion of the toner particle is melted and solidified.

[0021] 13. The toner-containing material according to item 11 or 12, further comprising a dispersion medium for forming a dispersed phase with the toner particles.

[0022] 14. The toner-containing material according to item 11 or 12, wherein the toner particles further contain an external additive.

[0023] 15. The toner-containing material according to item 11 or 12, further comprising a second resin in addition to the toner particle group.

[0024] 16. The toner-containing material according to item 11 or 12, wherein the toner-containing material is an art material.

[0025] 17. The toner-containing article according to item 11 or 12, wherein the toner-containing article is a candle.

[0026] 18. The toner-containing material according to item 11 or 12, wherein the toner-containing material is a powder.

[0027] 19. The toner inclusion material according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the toner inclusion material is clay.

[0028] 20. A method for producing a toner-containing material, comprising the steps of heating and cooling a group of toner particles composed of toner particles containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent. [Effects of the Invention]

[0029] The above-described means of the present invention enable the use of toner in applications other than toner, and for example, unused toner can be effectively upcycled for applications other than toner. In particular, a means can be provided that enables products formed using unused toner to have appropriate performance for the product. For example, if the toner is used as an art material such as a crayon, the toner will have excellent brittle resistance and will not crumble. Therefore, the above-described means of the present invention can provide, for example, art materials that use toner and are comfortable to write with.

[0030] The mechanism by which the effects of the present invention are manifested or the mechanism of action is not clear, but is speculated as follows.

[0031] The molded article of the present invention is characterized by being obtained by heating and molding a toner particle group composed of a plurality of toner particles containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent. It is believed that, when the toner is used for purposes other than toner, the number of grain boundaries in the molded article is reduced by heating and molding the toner particle group, thereby improving the resistance to brittleness and making the article less likely to crumble. In particular, it is believed that melting the toner during molding eliminates the grain boundaries in the molded article, making it uniform, thereby further improving the resistance to brittleness and making it less likely to crumble.

[0032] The toner-containing material of the present invention is characterized by comprising a toner particle group formed by heating and cooling the toner particle group, which is composed of toner particles containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent. The toner-containing material of the present invention may further contain a dispersion medium such as a resin for forming a dispersed phase with the toner particle group, and it is presumed that heating the toner particle group improves the dispersibility of the toner. Therefore, it is believed that the toner-containing material of the present invention improves the dispersibility of the toner and can effectively suppress, for example, the occurrence of uneven coloring. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0033] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an embodiment of a molded product. [Figure 2]3A to 3C are schematic diagrams illustrating a step of molding toner particle groups in an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a molded product. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] An embodiment of the molded article of the present invention is characterized in that it is obtained by heating and molding a toner particle group composed of a plurality of toner particles containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent. This characteristic is a technical feature common to or corresponding to each of the following embodiments. The molded article of this embodiment has excellent brittle resistance and is not easily broken. Therefore, for example, when the molded article is used as an art material such as a crayon, it becomes an art material that is comfortable to write with.

[0035] In the molded article of this embodiment, it is preferable that at least one toner particle is in a state in which at least a portion of the toner particle is melted and solidified. By configuring in this manner, the grain boundaries in the molded article are reduced and made more uniform, thereby further improving the brittle resistance and making the molded article less likely to crumble. In particular, by melting the toner particles once when heating and molding, the grain boundaries in the molded article are eliminated and made more uniform, resulting in an extremely excellent brittle resistance.

[0036] In the molded article of the present embodiment, the content of components derived from toner particle groups is preferably 12 to 40% by mass or 55 to 100% by mass when the total mass of the molded article is taken as 100% by mass.

[0037] The toner particles may further contain an external additive, and may further contain a second resin in addition to the toner particles.

[0038] The molded article may be an art material, a candle, a powder, or clay.

[0039] The method for producing the molded article of this embodiment includes a process for heating and molding a toner particle group made up of toner particles containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent.

[0040] Furthermore, an embodiment of the toner-containing material of the present invention is characterized in that it includes a toner particle group formed by heating and cooling toner particles that contain a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent. The toner-containing material of this embodiment improves the dispersibility of the toner, and can effectively suppress the occurrence of, for example, uneven coloring.

[0041] In the toner-containing material of this embodiment, it is preferable that at least one toner particle is at least partially melted and solidified.

[0042] The toner-containing material of the present embodiment preferably further contains a dispersion medium for forming a dispersed phase with the toner particles.

[0043] In the toner-containing material of the present embodiment, the toner particles may further contain an external additive, and may further contain a second resin in addition to the toner particles.

[0044] The toner inclusions may be art supplies, candles, powders, or clay.

[0045] The method for producing a toner-containing material according to the present embodiment includes a step of heating and molding a toner particle group made up of toner particles containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent.

[0046] The present invention, its components, and embodiments and modes for carrying out the present invention will be described in more detail below. In this specification, the symbol "to" is used to mean that the numerical values ​​before and after it are included as lower and upper limits.

[0047] [Molded products] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the molded article of the present invention will be described in more detail, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The molded article of this embodiment is a molded article 100 characterized by being obtained by heating and molding toner particle groups 110 composed of a plurality of toner particles containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent, as shown in Fig. 1. Here, Fig. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an embodiment of the molded article.

[0048] In this specification, "toner particles" refer to particles containing at least a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent, and may contain other components such as a release agent and a charge control agent as necessary. Furthermore, external additives may be added to the toner particles. In other words, in this specification, "toner particles" does not distinguish between particles that constitute the so-called base of toner particles and particles to which external additives have been added, and both are referred to as "toner particles." For example, particles called "toner base particles" are also treated as "toner particles." However, in this specification, particles specifically referred to as "toner base particles" refer to toner particles before the addition of external additives. Furthermore, an aggregate formed by a plurality of toner particles is referred to as a "toner particle group," and "toner particle group" is sometimes simply referred to as "toner."

[0049] The toner particles constituting the toner particle group contain a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent. The toner particle group is composed of a plurality of toner particles. The toner particle group may be unused toner that has not been used to form an image on a recording medium or the like. For example, although not particularly limited, the toner particle group may be unused toner generated during the toner manufacturing process and not used for a product. Examples of unused toner include toner containing fine or coarse particles outside the specified particle size, and toner that is not used for a product due to contamination generated during product type switching (e.g., contaminated products). For example, toner containing fine or coarse particles outside the specified particle size may be toner before external additives are added. Furthermore, unused toner generated during product type switching may be toner to which external additives have been added. Of course, the toner used as the toner particle group may also be toner that can actually be used to form an image on a recording medium or the like (however, unused toner). The molded product of this embodiment is particularly suitable, for example, as a means for upcycling (creatively reusing) unused toner generated during the toner manufacturing process and not used for a product other than toner. Furthermore, products formed using unused toner can have appropriate performance as such products. For example, if unused toner is reused as art supplies such as crayons, art supplies can be provided that are highly resistant to brittleness, do not crumble easily, and are comfortable to write with.

[0050] For example, using a toner containing fine or coarse powder as a toner particle group is preferable because, for example, smaller particles can fill the gaps formed by larger particles, making it easier to form a dense and stable structure and improving the strength of the molded product. For example, toner containing fine or coarse powder outside the specified particle size does not have a uniform particle size, and may have, for example, a wide particle size distribution or may not be monodisperse. Even toners that are not suitable for use in printing applications, such as toners, can be effectively used as raw materials for producing the molded product of this embodiment.

[0051] The use of toner containing an external additive as the toner particle group is preferable in that the toner has good fluidity and is easy to handle during molding, whereas the use of toner containing no external additive as the toner particle group is preferable in that the molded product is less likely to become brittle since it does not contain inorganic particles.

[0052] In the molded article of this embodiment, it is preferable that at least one toner particle is in a state in which at least a portion of the toner particle is melted and solidified. By configuring in this manner, the grain boundaries in the molded article are reduced and made more uniform, thereby further improving the brittle resistance and making the molded article less likely to crumble. In particular, by melting the toner particles once when molding by heating, the grain boundaries in the molded article are eliminated and made more uniform, resulting in an extremely excellent brittle resistance.

[0053] The temperature at which the toner particles are heated and molded is not particularly limited, but is preferably 50 to 200°C, more preferably 70 to 180°C, and particularly preferably 90 to 160°C. If the heating temperature is less than 50°C, the toner particles may not melt easily, making it difficult to achieve sufficient improvement in brittleness resistance. On the other hand, if the heating temperature exceeds 200°C, the pigment may decompose.

[0054] The method for molding the toner particles is not particularly limited, and is not limited to, for example, so-called molding, in which the toner particles are filled into a mold and molded. Examples include molding using a mold, extrusion molding, hand molding, injection molding, etc. The molding method may also include a method similar to pottery shaping. For example, the shaping method is not particularly limited, and examples include hand-forming, a method of shaping clay using a mold, and a method of placing a piece on a potter's wheel and turning it with hands or a machine to create a shape such as a plate or a pot.

[0055] The molded article of this embodiment is not particularly limited, but when the total mass of the molded article is taken as 100 mass%, the content of components derived from toner particle groups is preferably 12 to 40 mass% or 55 to 100 mass%. In particular, from the viewpoint of coloring, the content of components derived from toner particle groups is more preferably 55 to 100 mass%, even more preferably 65 to 100 mass%, and particularly preferably 75 to 100 mass%. For example, if the content of components derived from toner particle groups is less than 55 mass%, it may be undesirable from the viewpoint of coloring.

[0056] The molded article of this embodiment may further contain a second resin in addition to the toner particles. That is, the molded article of this embodiment may be obtained by heating and molding a mixture containing the toner particles and the second resin. For example, a molded article made of a mixture further containing the second resin as described above will have improved brittle resistance and will be less likely to crumble.

[0057] There are no particular limitations on the type of second resin separate from the toner particles. Examples include fluid synthetic resins and waxes. Examples of synthetic resins include acrylic resins, epoxy resins, urethane resins, phenolic resins, melamine resins, and silicone resins. Waxes may be petroleum waxes, FT waxes (Fischer-Tropsch waxes), and polyolefin waxes. Furthermore, the second resin may be a wax or the like that is conventionally contained in toner.

[0058] <Toner particle groups and toner particles> As explained above, the toner particles constituting the toner particle group may contain a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent, and for example, toner particles that are normally used in known toners may be used.

[0059] <Binder resin> The binder resin may be any binder resin commonly used in known toners without any particular limitation, including, for example, polyester resin, vinyl resin such as styrene-acrylic resin, epoxy resin, polycarbonate, polyurethane, and composite resin containing two or more of these resins.

[0060] <Coloring agent> The toner particles contain a colorant, which may be a commonly known dye or pigment.

[0061] Examples of colorants for obtaining black toner include carbon black, magnetic materials, iron-titanium composite oxide black, etc. Examples of carbon black include channel black, furnace black, acetylene black, thermal black, and lamp black.

[0062] Examples of colorants for obtaining yellow toner include dyes such as CI Solvent Yellow 19, 44, 77, 79, 81, 82, 93, 98, 103, 104, 112, and 162; and pigments such as CI Pigment Yellow 14, 17, 74, 93, 94, 138, 155, 180, and 185.

[0063] Examples of colorants for obtaining magenta toner include dyes such as CI Solvent Red 1, 49, 52, 58, 63, 111, and 122; and pigments such as CI Pigment Red 5, 48:1, 53:1, 57:1, 122, 139, 144, 149, 166, 177, 178, and 222.

[0064] Examples of colorants for obtaining cyan toner include dyes such as CI Solvent Blue 25, 36, 60, 70, 93, and 95; and pigments such as CI Pigment Blue 1, 7, 15, 60, 62, 66, and 76.

[0065] The colorants for obtaining the toner of each color may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds for each color.

[0066] There are no particular restrictions on the content of the colorant, and it is preferably 1 to 10 parts by mass, and more preferably 2 to 8 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the binder resin, for example.

[0067] <Release agent> The toner particles contain a release agent. The release agent is not particularly limited, and known agents can be used. Various known waxes can be used as the release agent. Examples of waxes include polyolefin waxes such as polyethylene wax and polypropylene wax, branched hydrocarbon waxes such as microcrystalline wax, long-chain hydrocarbon waxes such as paraffin wax and sazol wax, dialkyl ketone waxes such as distearyl ketone, carnauba wax, montan wax, ester waxes such as behenyl behenate, trimethylolpropane tribehenate, pentaerythritol tetrabehenate, pentaerythritol diacetate dibehenate, glycerin tribehenate, 1,18-octadecanediol distearate, tristearyl trimellitate, and distearyl maleate, and amide waxes such as ethylenediamine behenylamide and tristearyl trimellitate amide.

[0068] There are no particular restrictions on the content of the release agent, and it is preferably 0.1 to 30 parts by mass, and more preferably 1 to 10 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the binder resin.

[0069] <Charge control agent> Furthermore, a charge control agent can be added to the toner particles as needed.

[0070] The charge control agent is not particularly limited as long as it is a substance that can impart positive or negative charge by frictional charging, and various known positive charge control agents and negative charge control agents can be used. The content of the charge control agent is not particularly limited, and is, for example, preferably in the range of 0.01 to 30 parts by mass, more preferably in the range of 0.1 to 10 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the binder resin.

[0071] <External additives> In order to improve the fluidity, chargeability, cleaning properties, etc. of the toner, external additives such as a fluidizing agent, a cleaning aid, etc., which are so-called post-treatment agents, may be added to the toner particles to form the toner.

[0072] Examples of external additives include inorganic oxide particles such as silica particles, alumina particles, and titanium oxide particles, and inorganic stearic acid compound particles such as aluminum stearate particles and zinc stearate particles. Examples of external additives also include inorganic particles such as inorganic titanic acid compound particles such as strontium titanate particles and zinc titanate particles. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0073] These inorganic particles may be surface-treated with a silane coupling agent, a titanium coupling agent, a higher fatty acid, a silicone oil, or the like to improve heat-resistant storage properties and environmental stability.

[0074] The amount of the external additive added is preferably within a range of 0.05 to 5 parts by mass, and more preferably within a range of 0.1 to 3 parts by mass, with the total mass of the toner base particles before the external additive is added being 100% by mass.

[0075] <Toner particle morphology> The shape of the toner particles is not particularly limited. For example, the shape of the toner base particles before the addition of external additives can be, for example, a so-called single-layer structure (a homogeneous structure that is not a core-shell type), a core-shell structure, a multi-layer structure of three or more layers, a domain-matrix structure, etc.

[0076] <Average particle size of toner particles> The average particle size of the toner particles is not particularly limited. For example, although not particularly limited, the toner particles may contain fine particles or coarse particles that do not meet the specifications. In such toner particles, smaller particles fill the gaps formed by larger particles, making it easier to form a dense and stable structure, which may improve the strength of the molded product.

[0077] <Toner manufacturing method> There is no particular limitation on the method for producing the toner (toner particles) used in the molded product of the present embodiment. For example, the toner can be produced by a kneading and pulverizing method, a suspension polymerization method, an emulsion polymerization and aggregation method, an emulsion and aggregation method, a dissolution and suspension method, a polyester elongation method, a dispersion polymerization method, or any other known method.

[0078] [Manufacturing method for molded products] Next, an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a molded article of the present invention will be described. The method for manufacturing a molded article of this embodiment includes a step of heating and molding a toner particle group composed of toner particles containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent. This manufacturing method reduces grain boundaries in the resulting molded article, improving the brittleness resistance of the molded article and making it less likely to crumble. In particular, by melting the toner during molding, the grain boundaries in the molded article disappear and become uniform, further improving the brittleness resistance and making it less likely to crumble.

[0079] Specific examples of the process of heating and molding toner particles include the following process. First, toner particles to be used as a raw material for a molded product are prepared. The toner particles may be, for example, unused toner generated in the toner production process and not used to make a product, or may be toner that can actually be used as a product. From the perspective of recycling resources, it is preferable to use unused toner generated in the toner production process and not used to make a product.

[0080] Furthermore, when other raw materials (e.g., resins) are used in addition to the toner particles as raw materials for the molded product, the other raw materials to be used as raw materials are also prepared. Hereinafter, the toner particles used as raw materials for the molded product and the other raw materials used together with the toner particles may be collectively referred to as "molding raw materials." When other raw materials other than the toner particles are used in combination as the molding raw materials, the molding raw material may be prepared by mixing the toner particles with the other raw materials.

[0081] Next, the prepared toner particles are heated and molded. When a molded article is produced using a molding raw material containing toner particles, the molding raw material prepared by mixing the toner particles with other raw materials as described above is heated and molded. Here, in the step of heating and molding the toner particles, the toner particles may be heated while being molded, or the toner particles may be heated before molding and the heated toner particles may be molded. Furthermore, after the toner particles are molded into a desired shape, the molded article removed from the mold (released) may be further heated. In the method for producing a molded article of this embodiment, it is preferable to at least heat the toner particles while they are filled in a molding mold or the like.

[0082] The molding means for molding the toner particle groups is not particularly limited, and known molding means can be used as appropriate, such as molding using a mold, extrusion molding, hand molding, injection molding, etc. For example, the mold used for molding is not particularly limited, and any mold having heat resistance that can withstand heating during molding can be used. For example, heat-resistant molds such as metal molds and silicone molds can be used.

[0083] When forming a molded product by molding toner particles, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, first, toner particles 110 (or a molding raw material containing toner particles, the same applies hereinafter) are spread in the space within a mold 120. At this time, additives such as wax, glitter, etc. may be added at the same time. Next, the mold 120 with the toner particles 110 spread therein is placed in a heating device (not shown) such as a thermostatic chamber and heated. The heating temperature is preferably, for example, 100 to 200°C. Pressure may be applied during heating. Note that, since the volume of the toner decreases when it melts during heating, toner may be added during heating. Thereafter, the toner particles 110 in the mold 120 are cooled until they solidify, and then released from the mold. In this manner, a molded product 100 (see, for example, FIG. 1) made of the toner particles 110 can be produced. Here, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining the process of molding toner particles. The molding process described above is not particularly limited, but can be suitably used, for example, in a method for producing art supplies such as crayons as molded products.

[0084] [Toner Contents] Next, an embodiment of the toner-containing material of the present invention will be described in more detail. The toner-containing material of this embodiment is characterized by including a toner particle group formed by heating and cooling toner particles containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent. The toner-containing material of this embodiment improves the dispersibility of the toner, and can effectively suppress the occurrence of, for example, uneven coloring.

[0085] The toner particle group and the toner particles constituting the toner particle group used in the toner-containing material of this embodiment can be suitably configured in the same manner as the toner particle group and toner particles used in the molded product of this embodiment described above.

[0086] In the toner-containing material of the present embodiment, it is preferable that at least one toner particle is at least partially melted and solidified, which improves the dispersibility of the toner and effectively suppresses, for example, the occurrence of color unevenness.

[0087] In the toner-containing material of this embodiment, the temperature at which the toner particles are heated is not particularly limited, but is preferably 40 to 200°C, more preferably 50 to 180°C, and particularly preferably 60 to 160°C. If the heating temperature is less than 40°C, it may be difficult to improve the dispersibility of the toner particles. On the other hand, if the heating temperature exceeds 200°C, the pigment may decompose.

[0088] There is no particular limitation on the time for which the toner particles are heated, and it is preferably, for example, 5 to 60 minutes.

[0089] There is no particular limitation on the method for cooling the toner particles after heating, and they may be cooled naturally by standing to cool, or may be cooled using a cooling device.

[0090] The toner-containing material of this embodiment preferably further contains a dispersion medium for forming a dispersed phase with the toner particle groups. That is, the toner-containing material of this embodiment is preferably a mixture having a dispersed phase of the toner particle groups and the dispersion medium. The dispersion medium is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include liquid solvents, powders, and clay. Examples of solvents include water and organic solvents. The powder may be sand made of coarse powder such as sand, and examples of sand include silica sand. Examples of clay include earth clay, oil clay, and paper clay.

[0091] In the toner-containing material of this embodiment, when the total mass of the toner-containing material is taken as 100% by mass, the content of components derived from toner particles is preferably 1 to 90% by mass, more preferably 5 to 80% by mass, and particularly preferably 10 to 70% by mass. For example, if the content of components derived from toner particles is less than 1% by mass, sufficient coloring may not be obtained. On the other hand, if the content of components derived from toner particles is more than 90% by mass, it may be difficult to mix the toner particles.

[0092] In the toner-containing material of this embodiment, the toner particles may further contain an external additive. Furthermore, in addition to the toner particles, the toner may further contain a second resin. The external additive and the second resin may preferably be similar to the external additive and the second resin used in the molded product of this embodiment described above.

[0093] The toner inclusions may be art supplies, candles, powders, or clay.

[0094] [Method of manufacturing toner-containing material] Next, an embodiment of a method for producing a toner-containing material according to the present invention will be described. The method for producing a toner-containing material according to this embodiment is characterized by comprising a step of heating and cooling a toner particle group composed of toner particles containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent. This production method improves the dispersibility of the toner in the resulting toner-containing material, and can effectively suppress, for example, the occurrence of color unevenness.

[0095] [Specific examples of molded products and toner-containing products] A specific example of upcycling the molded article and toner-containing article of this embodiment using unused toner will be described below.

[0096] (As a substitute for art supplies and stationery coloring materials) ·Crayon alternative. · Alternative to crayons. · Alternative to colored pencils. · Alternative to colored mechanical pencils. · Paint substitutes (oil paints, pigment paints, watercolor paints, mineral pigments, Japanese painting paints). -A substitute for ink for calligraphy and ink painting. - Workshops using art materials that utilize these toners.

[0097] (Use as a colorant) · Clay colorant. Dye colorants. · White paint colorant. · Candle colorants. ·Face paint colorants. Modelling paste colorant. · Coloring agent for recycled pellets. -Sand coloring agent used in sand art. · Origami colorants. - Coloring agent for molded products such as accessories and beads made from resin or glass. - Nail coloring agent used with hardening resins, etc. 3D printer colorants. Green marker colorant. Line powder colorant. Cement colorant. -Coloring agent for fabrics and T-shirts. -Coloring agent for interior items (objects, tabletop dry landscape gardens). Accessory colorants. Asphalt colorant. · Colorant for cut flowers. -Coloring agent for building materials. Film colorant. · Ceramic colorant.

[0098] <Example of crayon (art supplies) manufacturing> An example of manufacturing crayons as art supplies will be described below. First, toner (toner particle groups) is prepared as a molding raw material. The "step of preparing toner as a molding raw material" described above is a common step in each of the manufacturing examples described below, and description of this step will be omitted in the explanation of manufacturing examples from this manufacturing example onwards. Next, the prepared molding raw material is spread into a mold. The mold may be any heat-resistant mold, such as a metal mold or a silicone mold. At this time, additives such as wax, glitter, etc. may be added at the same time. Next, the mold with the molding raw material spread therein is placed in a thermostatic chamber and heated. The temperature is preferably 100 to 200°C. Pressure may be applied during heating. Next, the heated molding raw material is cooled until solidified and then released from the mold. In this manner, crayons as art supplies can be manufactured.

[0099] <Production example of paint (art supplies)> Next, an example of how to produce paints as art supplies will be described. 3 g of the prepared toner is added to 10 g of liquid glue, and the mixture is heated and mixed on a hot plate at 40°C. The mixture is then removed from the hot plate and allowed to cool. In this manner, paints as art supplies can be produced. An example of a liquid glue is "Arabic Yamato" manufactured by Yamato Co., Ltd. By adjusting the amount of toner appropriately, it is possible to adjust the color to a light, transparent shade or a dark shade.

[0100] <Example of candle production> Next, an example of candle production will be described. 1 g of the prepared toner is dispersed in 5 g of oil to prepare a toner dispersion oil. Next, the prepared toner dispersion oil is placed on a hot plate and heated to 120°C. 2.5 g of oil coagulant is added to the heated toner dispersion oil and dissolved. The toner dispersion oil with the added oil coagulant is removed from the hot plate and allowed to cool. In this manner, a candle can be produced.

[0101] <Example of oil paint (art supplies) manufacturing> Next, we will explain an example of how to manufacture oil paints for use as art supplies. 5 g of the prepared toner is added to 5 g of an appropriate medium (transfer material), and the mixture is heated and mixed on a hot plate at 40°C. Additives such as drying accelerators, extender pigments, and resins may also be added at this time. Toners of different colors may also be added to tone the mixture. Next, the mixture with the added toner is kneaded under pressure until it is uniform, glossy, and viscous. The mixture is then removed from the hot plate and allowed to cool slowly. In this way, oil paints for use as art supplies can be manufactured. The viscosity and color intensity can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of toner and medium appropriately.

[0102] <Clay manufacturing example> Next, an example of clay manufacturing will be described. The prepared toner is mixed with clay and heated to 40°C. Alternatively, a different color toner may be added to the clay to tone the color. Next, the clay mixed with the toner is kneaded under pressure until the toner is uniformly dispersed in the clay. After that, the clay mixed with the toner is slowly cooled, and the clay can be manufactured. By adjusting the amount of toner appropriately, it is possible to adjust the color to a light color with a strong transparency or a dark color.

[0103] <Colored sand (powder) manufacturing example> Next, we will explain an example of how to produce colored sand as a powder. The prepared toner is mixed with sand, heated to 40°C, and carefully mixed to ensure a uniform mixture. After mixing, the sand is spread out flat and dried. The sand mixed with toner is then slowly cooled to produce colored sand as a powder. When drying the sand mixed with toner, it can be heated at a low temperature for a few minutes.

[0104] <Example of manufacturing gel nails (molded products)> Next, an example of manufacturing gel nails (molded products) will be described. The prepared toner is mixed into gel nails (fluid synthetic resin). At this time, the gel nails mixed with the toner are heated to 40°C. A different color toner may be added to tone the color. The gel nails mixed with the toner are then applied to the nails (or artificial nails). Next, the applied gel nails are irradiated with light (e.g., ultraviolet light, visible light, etc.) to harden them. At this point, any unhardened gel may be removed.

[0105] <Example of manufacturing accessory parts (molded products)> Next, an example of how to manufacture accessory parts will be described. The prepared toner is mixed into a resin liquid (epoxy resin, UV resin, etc.). At this time, the resin liquid mixed with the toner is heated to 40°C. A different color toner may be added to tone the color. The resin liquid mixed with the toner is poured into a mold. Other parts may also be placed inside at this time. The resin liquid poured into the mold is irradiated with light (e.g., ultraviolet light, visible light, etc.) to harden it. The hardened part is removed from the mold. Coloring or drilling may be performed depending on the application. In this way, accessory parts can be manufactured as molded products.

[0106] <Ceramics (clay) manufacturing example> Next, an example of how to make ceramics (clay) will be described. The prepared toner is mixed into the clay. At this time, the clay mixed with the toner is heated to 40°C. A different color of toner can be added to tone the color. The amount can be changed to adjust the color intensity. The clay is made from a common material used in ceramics. Examples include kokubushi clay, frog's eye clay, and clay made by crushing pottery stone or feldspar. Next, the clay mixed with the toner is shaped. There are no restrictions on the shaping method. Examples include hand-building, shaping the clay using a mold, placing it on a potter's wheel and turning it with hands or a machine to create shapes such as plates or pots using both hands. [Example]

[0107] The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these. In the following examples, unless otherwise specified, "%" and "parts" mean "% by mass" and "parts by mass," respectively.

[0108] [Toner production] <Preparation of Vinyl Resin Particle Dispersion (1) (Vinyl Resin Particle Dispersion for Core)> (First stage polymerization) A 5 L reaction vessel equipped with a stirrer, a temperature sensor, a condenser, and a nitrogen introducing device was charged with 8 parts by mass of sodium dodecyl sulfate and 3,000 parts by mass of ion-exchanged water, and the internal temperature was raised to 80° C. while stirring at a stirring speed of 230 rpm under a nitrogen stream. After the temperature was raised, a solution prepared by dissolving 10 parts by mass of potassium persulfate in 200 parts by mass of ion-exchanged water was added, and the liquid temperature was again raised to 80° C., and a mixed liquid of the following monomers was added dropwise over 1 hour. Styrene 480.0 parts by mass n-Butyl acrylate 250.0 parts by mass Methacrylic acid 68.0 parts by mass n-Octyl mercaptan 16.4 parts by mass

[0109] After the dropwise addition of the mixed liquid, polymerization was carried out by heating and stirring at 80° C. for 2 hours, and a vinyl resin particle dispersion liquid A was prepared.

[0110] (Second stage polymerization) A solution of 7 parts by mass of sodium dodecyl sulfate dissolved in 3,000 parts by mass of ion-exchanged water was placed in a 5 L reaction vessel equipped with a stirrer, a temperature sensor, a cooling tube, and a nitrogen introducing device, and heated to 98°C. After heating, 300 parts by mass, calculated as solid content, of the vinyl resin particle dispersion A prepared by the first-stage polymerization described above and a mixed liquid prepared by dissolving the following monomers, chain transfer agent, and release agent at 90°C were added thereto. Styrene 243.0 parts by mass n-Butyl acrylate 45.5 parts by mass 2-Ethylhexyl acrylate 45.5 parts by mass Methacrylic acid 33.1 parts by mass n-Octyl mercaptan 5.5 parts by mass Behenic acid behenate (mold release agent, melting point 73°C) 130.0 parts by mass

[0111] A mixing and dispersion process was carried out for one hour using a mechanical disperser with a circulation path, "CLEARMIX" (manufactured by M Technique Co., Ltd.), to prepare a dispersion containing emulsified particles (oil droplets). A polymerization initiator solution consisting of 6 parts by mass of potassium persulfate dissolved in 200 parts by mass of ion-exchanged water was added to this dispersion, and the system was heated and stirred at 78°C for one hour to polymerize, preparing vinyl resin particle dispersion B.

[0112] (Third stage polymerization) 400 parts by mass of ion-exchanged water was further added to the amorphous vinyl resin particle dispersion B obtained by the second-stage polymerization and mixed thoroughly, followed by the addition of a solution of 6.0 parts by mass of potassium persulfate dissolved in 400 parts by mass of ion-exchanged water. Further, a mixed solution of the following monomers and chain transfer agent was added dropwise over 1 hour at a temperature of 81°C. Styrene 354.8 parts by mass n-Butyl acrylate 143.2 parts by mass Methacrylic acid 52.0 parts by mass n-Octyl mercaptan 8.0 parts by mass

[0113] After the dropwise addition was completed, polymerization was carried out by heating and stirring for 2 hours, and then the mixture was cooled to 28° C. to prepare a vinyl resin particle dispersion (1).

[0114] <Preparation of vinyl resin particle dispersion (2) (vinyl resin particle dispersion for shell)> Vinyl resin particle dispersion (2) was prepared by carrying out the polymerization reaction and post-reaction treatment in the same manner as in the preparation of the vinyl resin particle dispersion (1), except that the monomer mixture used in the first polymerization step was changed to the following: Styrene 624 parts by mass n-Butyl acrylate 120 parts by mass Methacrylic acid 56 parts by mass n-Octyl mercaptan 16.4 parts by mass

[0115] <Preparation of Crystalline Resin Particle Dispersion> (Preparation of crystalline polyester resin) The following monomers were placed in a four-neck flask equipped with a nitrogen inlet tube, a dehydration tube, a stirrer and a thermocouple, and heated to 170° C. to dissolve them. Tetradecanedioic acid 440 parts by mass 1,6-Hexanediol 173 parts by mass

[0116] Next, 0.8 parts by mass of Ti(OBu)4 was added as an esterification catalyst, the temperature was raised to 235°C, and the reaction was carried out at normal pressure (101.3 kPa) for 5 hours and then under reduced pressure (8 kPa) for 1 hour.

[0117] Then, after cooling to 200° C., the mixture was reacted under reduced pressure (20 kPa) for 1 hour to obtain a crystalline polyester resin 1.

[0118] The obtained crystalline polyester resin 1 had a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of 20,500, an acid value of 22.1 mgKOH / g, and a melting point (mp) of 75.2°C.

[0119] (Preparation of Crystalline Resin Particle Dispersion) Next, 100 parts by weight of the resulting crystalline polyester resin was dissolved in 400 parts by weight of ethyl acetate (Kanto Chemical Co., Ltd.) and mixed with 638 parts by weight of a previously prepared 0.26% by weight sodium lauryl sulfate solution. While stirring, the mixture was subjected to ultrasonic dispersion treatment at V-LEVEL 300 μA for 30 minutes using an ultrasonic homogenizer "US-150T" (Nippon Seiki Seisakusho Co., Ltd.). The mixture was then heated to 40°C and stirred under reduced pressure for 3 hours using a diaphragm vacuum pump "V-700" (BUCHI) to completely remove the ethyl acetate, preparing a crystalline resin particle dispersion. The crystalline resin particles in the dispersion had a volume-based median diameter of 160 nm.

[0120] <Preparation of Hybrid Amorphous Polyester Resin Particle Dispersion> (Preparation of hybrid amorphous polyester resin) A mixture of the following vinyl resin monomer, a monomer having a substituent reactive with both the amorphous polyester resin and the vinyl resin, and a polymerization initiator was placed in a dropping funnel. Styrene 80.0 parts by mass n-Butyl acrylate 20.0 parts by mass Acrylic acid 10.0 parts by mass Di-t-butyl peroxide (polymerization initiator) 16.0 parts by mass

[0121] Furthermore, the following monomers for the amorphous polyester resin were placed in a four-necked flask equipped with a nitrogen inlet tube, a dehydration tube, a stirrer and a thermocouple, and heated to 170° C. to dissolve them. Bisphenol A ethylene oxide 2 mole adduct 59.1 parts by mass Bisphenol A propylene oxide 2 mole adduct 281.7 parts by mass Terephthalic acid 63.9 parts by mass Succinic acid 48.4 parts by mass

[0122] The mixture in the dropping funnel was added dropwise to a four-neck flask over 90 minutes while stirring, and after aging for 60 minutes, unreacted monomer was removed under reduced pressure (8 kPa). 0.4 parts by mass of Ti(OBu)4 was then added as an esterification catalyst, and the mixture was heated to 235°C and reacted under normal pressure (101.3 kPa) for 5 hours and then under reduced pressure (8 kPa) for 1 hour.

[0123] The mixture was then cooled to 200°C and reacted under reduced pressure (20 kPa), after which the solvent was removed to obtain a vinyl-modified hybrid amorphous polyester resin (A1). The resulting hybrid amorphous polyester resin (A1) had a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of 24,000, an acid value of 16.2 mgKOH / g, and a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 60°C.

[0124] (Preparation of Hybrid Amorphous Polyester Resin Particle Dispersion) Next, 100 parts by weight of the resulting hybrid amorphous polyester resin (A1) was dissolved in 400 parts by weight of ethyl acetate (Kanto Chemical Co., Ltd.) and mixed with 638 parts by weight of a previously prepared 0.26% by weight sodium lauryl sulfate solution. While stirring, the mixture was subjected to ultrasonic dispersion treatment for 30 minutes at V-LEVEL 400 μA using an ultrasonic homogenizer "US-150T" (Nippon Seiki Seisakusho Co., Ltd.). The mixture was then heated to 40°C and stirred under reduced pressure for 3 hours using a diaphragm vacuum pump "V-700" (BUCHI), completely removing the ethyl acetate to prepare a hybrid amorphous polyester resin particle dispersion with a solids content of 13.5% by weight. The hybrid amorphous polyester resin particles in the dispersion had a volume-based median diameter of 98 nm.

[0125] <Preparation of Colorant Particle Dispersion> (Preparation of Yellow Colorant Particle Dispersion [Ye]) Sodium dodecyl sulfate 90 parts by weight CI Pigment Yellow 74 200 parts by weight Ion-exchanged water 1600 parts by weight The mixed solution of the above components was thoroughly dispersed using "Ultra-Turrax (registered trademark, the same applies hereinafter) T50" (manufactured by IKA), and then treated with an ultrasonic disperser for 20 minutes to prepare a yellow colorant particle dispersion [Ye]. The volume-based median diameter of the yellow colorant particles in the resulting yellow colorant particle dispersion [Ye] was 240 nm.

[0126] (Preparation of magenta colorant particle dispersion [Ma]) Sodium dodecyl sulfate 90 parts by weight CI Pigment Red 269 200 parts by weight Ion-exchanged water 1600 parts by weight The solution containing the above components was thoroughly dispersed using an Ultra-Turrax T50 (manufactured by IKA), and then treated with an ultrasonic disperser for 20 minutes to prepare a magenta colorant particle dispersion [Ma]. The volume-based median diameter of the magenta colorant particles in the resulting magenta colorant particle dispersion [Ma] was 200 nm.

[0127] (Preparation of cyan colorant particle dispersion [Cy]) Sodium dodecyl sulfate 90 parts by weight CI Pigment Blue 15:3 200 parts by weight Ion-exchanged water 1600 parts by weight The solution containing the above components was thoroughly dispersed using an Ultra-Turrax T50 (manufactured by IKA), and then treated with an ultrasonic disperser for 20 minutes to prepare a cyan colorant particle dispersion [Cy]. The volume-based median diameter of the cyan colorant particles in the resulting cyan colorant particle dispersion [Cy] was 180 nm.

[0128] (Preparation of Black Colorant Particle Dispersion [Bk]) Sodium dodecyl sulfate 90 parts by weight Carbon black "Regal (registered trademark) 330R" (manufactured by Cabot Corporation) 200 parts by mass Ion-exchanged water 1600 parts by weight The mixture of the above components was thoroughly dispersed in an Ultra-Turrax T50 (manufactured by IKA), and then treated with an ultrasonic disperser for 20 minutes to prepare a black colorant particle dispersion [Bk]. The volume-based median diameter of the colorant particles in the resulting black colorant particle dispersion [Bk] was 110 nm.

[0129] <Preparation of Release Agent Particle Dispersion> Behenic acid behenate (mold release agent, melting point 73°C) 100 parts by weight 10 parts by weight of anionic surfactant ("Neogen RK" (Dai-ichi Kogyo Seiyaku Co., Ltd.) Ion-exchanged water 400 parts by weight The above materials were mixed and heated to 80°C, and thoroughly dispersed using an IKA Ultra Turrax T50. After that, dispersion was performed using a pressure-discharge Gaulin homogenizer, and ion-exchanged water was added to the dispersion to adjust the solid content to 15%, thereby preparing a dispersion of release agent particles (W1). The volume-based median diameter of the release agent particles in this dispersion was measured using a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer LA-750 (HORIBA), and was found to be 220 nm.

[0130] <Preparation of Cyan Toners 1 and 2> A reaction vessel equipped with a stirrer, a temperature sensor, and a cooling tube was charged with 441 parts by mass (solid content equivalent) of vinyl resin particle dispersion (1), 45 parts by mass (solid content equivalent) of crystalline polyester resin particle dispersion, 1% by mass (solid content equivalent) of dodecyl diphenyl ether disulfonic acid sodium salt in terms of resin ratio, and 200 parts by mass of ion-exchanged water. At room temperature (25°C), a 5 mol / L aqueous sodium hydroxide solution was added to adjust the pH to 11.

[0131] Next, 40 parts by weight (solids equivalent) of cyan colorant particle dispersion was added, and a solution of 40 parts by weight of magnesium chloride dissolved in 40 parts by weight of ion-exchanged water was added over 15 minutes at 30°C while stirring. After leaving the mixture for 5 minutes, the temperature was raised to 85°C over 90 minutes. After reaching 85°C, the stirring speed was adjusted so that the particle size growth rate was 0.02 μm / min, and the particles were allowed to grow until the volume-based median diameter reached 6.0 μm. The volume-based median diameter was measured using a Coulter Multisizer 3 (Coulter-Beckman). When the volume-based median diameter reached 6.0 μm, the stirring speed was adjusted to stop particle size growth, while particle fusion was allowed to proceed until the average circularity of the toner particles reached 0.945.

[0132] Next, 54 parts by weight (solids equivalent) of hybrid amorphous polyester resin particle dispersion (1) was added over 90 minutes. When the supernatant of the reaction solution became transparent, an aqueous solution of 15 parts by weight of sodium chloride dissolved in 60 parts by weight of ion-exchanged water was added to suppress particle size regrowth, and particle fusion was allowed to proceed until the average circularity of the toner particles reached 0.961. The mixture was then cooled to 30°C at a cooling rate of 2.5°C / min.

[0133] The toner cake was then subjected to solid-liquid separation, and the dehydrated toner cake was washed by repeating the process of redispersing the toner cake in ion-exchanged water and separating the solid from the liquid three times. After washing, the toner cake was dried at 35° C. for 24 hours to obtain cyan toner 1.

[0134] To 100 parts by mass of the obtained toner particles, 0.75 parts by mass of hydrophobic silica particles (volume-based median diameter: 12 nm, hydrophobicity: 68), 0.5 parts by mass of hydrophobic alumina particles (volume-based median diameter: 20 nm, hydrophobicity: 63), 0.4 parts by mass of sol-gel silica (volume-based median diameter = 82 nm), and 0.4 parts by mass of zinc stearate (volume-based median diameter: 1210 nm) as a lubricant were added, and the mixture was mixed in a Henschel mixer (manufactured by Mitsui Miike Chemical Engineering Co., Ltd.) at a rotor peripheral speed of 40 mm / sec and 32°C for 20 minutes. After mixing, coarse particles were removed using a sieve with 45 μm openings, and cyan toner 2 was obtained.

[0135] <Preparation of Yellow Toners 1 and 2> Yellow toner 1 was produced in the same manner as the above-described cyan toner 1, except that the colorant particle dispersion used in the production of the toner was changed to a yellow colorant particle dispersion. Yellow toner 2 was produced in the same manner as the above-described cyan toner 2, except that the colorant particle dispersion used in the production of the toner was changed to a yellow colorant particle dispersion.

[0136] <Preparation of Magenta Toners 1 and 2> Magenta toner 1 was prepared in the same manner as the above-described cyan toner 1, except that the colorant particle dispersion used in the preparation of the toner was changed to a magenta colorant particle dispersion. Magenta toner 2 was prepared in the same manner as the above-described cyan toner 2, except that the colorant particle dispersion used in the preparation of the toner was changed to a magenta colorant particle dispersion.

[0137] <Preparation of Black Toner 1 and 2> Black toner 1 was prepared in the same manner as the above-described cyan toner 1, except that the colorant particle dispersion used in the preparation of the toner was changed to a black colorant particle dispersion. Furthermore, black toner 2 was prepared in the same manner as the above-described cyan toner 2, except that the colorant particle dispersion used in the preparation of the toner was changed to a black colorant particle dispersion.

[0138] <Example 1: Preparation of Crayon 1> Volume: 45cm 3 10 g of cyan toner 1 was placed in a rectangular parallelepiped silicone mold. Next, the silicone mold was heated for 1 hour in a thermostatic chamber set at 150°C, after which the power to the thermostatic chamber was turned off and the mold was allowed to cool in the thermostatic chamber for 3 hours. After cooling, the mold was released from the silicone mold to produce crayon 1. The composition of the raw materials used to produce crayon 1 in Example 1 is shown in Table 1. Furthermore, the molding conditions (heating temperature) used to produce crayon 1 in Example 1 are shown in Table 2.

[0139] <Examples 2 to 21: Preparation of Crayons 2 to 21> Crayons 2 to 21 were produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the composition of the raw materials used to produce the crayons was changed as shown in Table 1 and the temperature of the thermostatic bath was changed to the molding conditions (heating temperature) shown in Table 2. In Examples 18 to 21, two types of toner were used as raw materials. In Examples 4 and 19, glitter powder ("TWINCLEPEARL 500" manufactured by Nihon Koken Kogyo Co., Ltd.) was added as an additional mixed material. In Examples 5 to 9 and 20, beeswax (beeswax granule type manufactured by Natural Harmony & Science Co., Ltd.) was added as an additional mixed material. In Examples 10 and 21, the above-mentioned glitter powder and beeswax were added as additional mixed materials.

[0140] <Comparative Example 1: Preparation of Crayon 22> Volume: 45cm 3 10 g of cyan toner 1 was placed in a rectangular parallelepiped polyvinyl chloride mold. Next, the mixture was compressed and pressed with a press to form a mold, and then the mold was released to produce crayon 22. In Comparative Example 1, crayon 22 was produced without heating during molding.

[0141] [Table 1]

[0142] [Table 2]

[0143] <Evaluation> The crayons 1 to 21 of Examples 1 to 21 and the crayon 22 of Comparative Example 1 were evaluated for breaking strength (gf) and drawing comfort by the following methods. The evaluation results are shown in Table 2.

[0144] (Evaluation of breakage strength (gf)) For crayons 1 to 22, the breaking strength (gf) was measured according to JIS S 6026 using a FUDOH RHEO METER (NRM-2010J) manufactured by Rheotech Co., Ltd. The practical breaking strength is 1200 gf or more.

[0145] (Evaluation of drawing comfort) Using crayons 1 to 22, a drawing was made once back and forth on a 40 μm thick OPP film "Alphan PK-002" (manufactured by Oji F-Tex Co., Ltd.) with a drawing load of 500 g to check whether the drawing was possible and how comfortable it was to draw. Evaluation was carried out based on the following criteria. A, B, or C was deemed to be acceptable for use (pass). A: It allows you to draw thick lines and is light to use. B: It can draw thickly, but the drawing feel is heavy. C: Can be drawn but is thin. D: I can't draw.

[0146] (result) Crayons 1 to 21 of Examples 1 to 21 achieved good results in both the breakage strength (gf) and the drawing comfort evaluation. On the other hand, crayon 22 of Comparative Example 1 was produced by compression molding without heating, and had a low breakage strength (gf) and a poor drawing comfort evaluation.

[0147] <Other Examples> Using cyan toner 1, paints (art supplies), candles, oil paints (art supplies), clay, colored sand (powder), gel nails (molded objects), accessory parts (molded objects), and ceramics (clay) were produced based on the manufacturing methods described in the above-mentioned manufacturing examples. [Industrial Applicability]

[0148] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a means for utilizing a toner in applications other than as a toner, and the toner can be utilized in applications other than as a toner, for example, as a molded product such as an art material like a crayon, or as a toner-containing product such as paint. [Explanation of symbols]

[0149] 100 Molded products 110 Toner particle group 120 type

Claims

1. A molded article characterized by being obtained by heating and molding a toner particle group composed of a plurality of toner particles containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent.

2. 2. The molded article according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the toner particles is in a state where at least a portion of the toner particle is melted and solidified.

3. 3. The molded article according to claim 1, wherein the content of the component derived from the toner particle group is 12 to 40% by mass or 55 to 100% by mass, when the total mass of the molded article is 100% by mass.

4. 3. The molded article according to claim 1, wherein the toner particles further contain an external additive.

5. 3. The molded article according to claim 1, further comprising a second resin in addition to the toner particles.

6. 3. The molded article according to claim 1, wherein the molded article is an art material.

7. 3. The molded article according to claim 1, wherein the molded article is a candle.

8. 3. The molded product according to claim 1, wherein the molded product is a powder.

9. 3. The molded article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the molded article is made of clay.

10. A method for producing a molded product, comprising a step of heating and molding a toner particle group composed of toner particles containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent.

11. A toner-containing material characterized by comprising a toner particle group formed by heating and cooling toner particles containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent.

12. 12. The toner-containing material according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the toner particles is in a state where at least a portion of the toner particle is melted and solidified.

13. 13. The toner-containing material according to claim 11, further comprising a dispersion medium for forming a dispersed phase with the toner particles.

14. 13. The toner-containing material according to claim 11, wherein the toner particles further contain an external additive.

15. 13. The toner-containing material according to claim 11, further comprising a second resin in addition to the toner particles.

16. 13. The toner-containing material according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the toner-containing material is an art material.

17. 13. The toner-containing article according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the toner-containing article is a candle.

18. 13. The toner-containing material according to claim 11, wherein the toner-containing material is a powder.

19. 13. The toner inclusion material according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the toner inclusion material is clay.

20. A method for producing a toner-containing material, comprising the steps of heating and cooling a toner particle group composed of toner particles containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent.

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