Cold Pressure Fix Toner Composition Using Crystalline-Amorphous Blends
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cold pressure fix toners require high pressures and often suffer from poor image robustness and leakage issues due to high wax content and liquid cores at room temperature.
Innovation Solution
Development of cold pressure fix toner compositions comprising a blend of C16 to C80 crystalline organic materials with melting points between 30° C. to 130° C. and amorphous organic materials with glass transition temperatures between -30° C. to 70° C., which undergo phase change from solid to liquid at modest temperatures under pressures as low as 25 kgf/cm2 to 400 kgf/cm2, enabling effective fixation without heating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If high wax content is used in cold pressure fix toners, then the toner can operate without heating, but the system requires very high pressure (2000-4000 psi) and produces poor image robustness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state parameters of the toner materials by using small molecule crystalline materials with specific melting points (30-130°C) combined with amorphous materials with specific glass transition temperatures (-30°C to 70°C). This parameter optimization allows the toner to achieve proper flow and adhesion at much lower pressures (25-400 kgf/cm2) while maintaining cold pressure fix operation without heating.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite toner system by combining small molecule crystalline organic materials with amorphous organic materials in specific ratios. This composite approach allows the crystalline material to provide structured flow under pressure while the amorphous material ensures proper adhesion and image robustness, eliminating the need for excessive pressure while maintaining heating-free operation.
2Reliability
If long chain acrylate core with liquid content is used, then the toner can be contained in particles, but the shell must be very thin which makes it challenging to prevent capsule leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the complex shell structure by using small molecule crystalline materials that are solid at room temperature. This extraction of the liquid core concept removes the need for a thin shell containment structure, as the crystalline material naturally maintains its solid form without requiring encapsulation, thereby preventing leakage issues entirely.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the complex, delicate shell structure with a simpler solid crystalline material system that does not require long-term structural integrity through thin shells. The small molecule crystalline materials provide inherent structural stability without needing protective encapsulation.
3Stress or pressure
If high pressure (2000-4000 psi) is applied for cold pressure fix, then toner fixation can be achieved, but image robustness becomes poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the pressure parameter range by using small molecule crystalline materials with melting points and amorphous materials with glass transition temperatures specifically selected to enable toner flow and adhesion at 25-400 kgf/cm2. This parameter optimization achieves proper image robustness without requiring the excessive pressures of 2000-4000 psi, as the materials undergo controlled phase changes at the lower pressure range.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution allows for robust image fixation at lower pressures, preventing leakage and improving image quality by ensuring the toner flows and adheres effectively to the substrate under cold pressure fixing conditions, reducing the need for high heat and minimizing paper distortion.
Implementation Method 1
at least one C16 to C80 crystalline organic material having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C.
Implementation Method 2
at least one C16 to C80 amorphous organic material having a Tg of from about -30° C. to about 70° C.
Implementation Method 3
undergo phase change from solid to liquid at modest temperatures under pressures as low as 25 kgf/cm2 to 400 kgf/cm2
Data Source
AI summary
A cold pressure fix toner composition includes at least one C16 to C80 crystalline organic material having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C. and at least one C16 to C80 amorphous organic material having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 70° C. A method of cold pressure fix toner application includes providing the cold pressure fix toner composition, disposing the cold pressure fix toner composition on a substrate and applying pressure to the disposed composition on the substrate under cold pressure fixing conditions. The cold pressure fix toner compositions can be formed into latexes.