Composite Polyester Toner for Low-Temperature Fixing and Storage Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional toners face challenges in achieving high low-temperature fixability, heat-resistant storage stability, and high gloss, with existing pulverization and polymerization processes failing to meet these requirements due to issues like broad particle size distribution, high fixing energy, and wax exposure leading to filming.
Innovation Solution
A toner comprising a colorant, release agent, and a binder resin with a combination of crystalline and amorphous polyester resins, where the amorphous polyester resin A has an isocyanurate backbone and urethane/urea bonds, and amorphous polyester resin B has a trimellitic acid backbone, providing a uniform network structure for improved fixability and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If pulverization process is used to produce toner, then production is easier and cost is lower, but particle size is large and distribution is broad leading to insufficient image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental production parameter from mechanical pulverization to chemical polymerization, enabling precise control of particle size through polymerization conditions while maintaining production feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials including crystalline polyester resin, amorphous polyester resin, and charge control agents in specific ratios to achieve both small particle size and narrow distribution through controlled polymerization
2Ease of manufacture
If pulverization process is used to produce toner, then production is easier, but fixing energy requirement is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the resin composition parameters to include specific crystalline and amorphous polyester resins with controlled glass transition temperatures, enabling effective fixing at lower temperatures and reducing fixing energy consumption
3Temperature
If wax is added to pulverization toner to improve fixability, then low-temperature fixability improves, but wax exposure causes filming on carriers and photoconductors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite resin system with crystalline polyester resin (30-70 wt%) and amorphous polyester resin (30-70 wt%) that work synergistically to provide low-temperature fixability without requiring excessive wax, thereby preventing filming
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the distribution and amount of release agents locally within the toner particle structure, ensuring adequate fixability at the fixing interface while minimizing excess release agent that could cause filming on other components
4Stability of the object's composition
If glass transition temperature is lowered to improve heat-resistant storage stability, then storage stability improves, but low-temperature fixability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite resin system where crystalline polyester resin provides storage stability through its high melting point and structured morphology, while amorphous polyester resin with controlled glass transition temperature provides low-temperature fixability, achieving both requirements simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the glass transition temperature parameter of the amorphous polyester resin component to balance storage stability and fixability, selecting resins with Tg in specific ranges to achieve both heat-resistant storage stability and low-temperature fixability
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 toner achieves excellent low-temperature fixability, high-temperature offset resistance, high gloss, and heat-resistant storage stability by maintaining a deformable yet stable resin structure, even at low temperatures, while preventing wax exposure and filming.
Implementation Method 1
the proposed toners do not satisfy the high level of low-temperature fixability demanded in recent years... for the purpose of improving heat-resistant storage stability of toner, there have been attempts to lower the glass transition temperature of the toner
Implementation Method 2
polymerization processes have been proposed... to encapsulate a release agent in the toner
Data Source
AI summary
A toner is provided. The toner comprises a colorant, a release agent, and a binder resin. The binder resin comprises a crystalline polyester resin and an amorphous polyester resin. The amorphous polyester resin comprises an amorphous polyester resin A and an amorphous polyester resin B. The amorphous polyester resin A comprises an isocyanurate backbone and at least one of urethane bond and urea bond. The amorphous polyester resin B comprises a trimellitic acid backbone and at least one of urethane bond and urea bond.