Composite Polyester Toner for Low-Temperature Fixing and Scratch Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing toners struggle to achieve both good low-temperature fixability and scratch resistance, with toners having good low-temperature fixability often experiencing molecular breakage leading to scratches, and toners with improved scratch resistance not addressing fixability issues.
Innovation Solution
A toner composition comprising a binder resin with an amorphous resin A and a crystalline polyester C, featuring specific structural units and SP value relationships, along with a controlled phosphorus content, to enhance elastic deformation and compatibility, allowing flexible deformation without molecular chain breakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a toner contains a crystalline resin to achieve good low-temperature fixability, then low-temperature fixability is improved, but toner particles may break resulting in scratches
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite binder resin system comprising both crystalline polyester (providing low-temperature fixability) and amorphous polyester (providing flexibility and scratch resistance). This composite approach allows the toner to achieve both low-temperature fixability and scratch resistance simultaneously, as the amorphous component compensates for the brittleness of the crystalline component.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent carefully controls the glass transition temperature (Tg) and melting point (Tm) parameters of the binder resin components. By selecting crystalline polyester with Tm of 70-110°C and amorphous polyester with Tg of 40-80°C, the toner achieves optimal low-temperature fixability while maintaining flexibility to prevent scratching during handling and printing.
2Reliability
If the binder resin is made more flexible to prevent molecular breakage, then scratch resistance is improved, but low-temperature fixability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines crystalline polyester (rigid, provides low-temperature fixability) with amorphous polyester (flexible, provides scratch resistance) in a composite binder resin system. This allows the toner to maintain both flexibility for scratch resistance and rigidity for low-temperature fixability, as each component contributes its advantageous properties to the overall system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different physical properties to different aspects of the toner's function: the crystalline polyester component provides the rigidity needed for low-temperature fixability, while the amorphous polyester component provides the flexibility needed for scratch resistance. This local differentiation of material properties allows simultaneous optimization of both functions.
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 both low-temperature fixability and scratch resistance by flexibly deforming under external stress and returning to its original structure, ensuring effective image quality on various media.
Implementation Method 1
the binder resin contains an amorphous resin A and a crystalline polyester C... allowing flexible deformation without molecular chain breakage
Implementation Method 2
In the toner having good low-temperature fixability as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2018-156074, in a printed image, toner particles themselves, rather than the interfaces between the toner particles, may be broken, resulting in the formation of scratches
Data Source
AI summary
A toner includes toner particles containing a binder resin. The binder resin contains an amorphous resin A and a crystalline polyester C. The amorphous resin A is a polyester and has, as a structure that forms a polyester backbone, (i) a polyethylene terephthalate structural moiety and (ii) a unit having a specified structure. An SP value of the amorphous resin A is represented by SPA, an SP value of the crystalline polyester C is represented by SPC, and a formula 1.00≤SPA−SPC≤1.35 is satisfied. The toner contains a phosphorus element derived from a phosphorus compound, and a content of the phosphorus element in the toner based on a mass of the toner is 5 to 500 ppm.