Core-Shell Toner Composition for Low-Temperature Fixing Durability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing toners with core-shell structures face a trade-off between low-temperature fixability and durability, leading to issues like cold offsetting and blistering due to wax outmigration and adhesive strength increases, which affect charging performance and fluidity.
Innovation Solution
A toner with a core-shell structure containing a resin core and shell, using hydrotalcite particles as external additives with a specific F/Al ratio, which prevents hydrotalcite embedding and enhances release properties without compromising developing performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a shell layer is formed to increase durability, then durability is improved, but outmigration of release agent is suppressed and low-temperature fixability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a core-shell structure where the shell layer has specific compositional characteristics (containing resin with glass transition temperature of 50°C or more and specific wax content) that differ from the core. This localized structural differentiation allows the shell to provide durability while the core maintains low-temperature fixability through controlled wax outmigration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by precisely controlling the glass transition temperature of the shell resin (≥50°C), the wax content in the shell (5-30 parts by mass per 100 parts binder resin), and the shell thickness (5-50 nm). These parameter optimizations enable the shell to balance durability with low-temperature fixability by regulating wax outmigration behavior.
2Reliability
If the thickness of shell is increased to improve durability, then durability is improved, but adhesive strength increases and image defects during low temperature fixing occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the shell thickness to a specific range of 5-50 nm. This precise parameter control ensures that the shell is thick enough to provide durability and suppress wax outmigration, but not so thick as to cause excessive adhesive strength and image defects during low-temperature fixing.
3Ease of manufacture
If shell is made thinner or partial gaps are provided to improve low-temperature fixability, then low-temperature fixability is improved, but outmigration of waxes and low molecular weight components occurs and external additive becomes embedded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes by controlling the shell thickness within the optimal range of 5-50 nm and regulating the wax content in the shell layer. These parameter optimizations enable sufficient wax outmigration for low-temperature fixability while preventing excessive outmigration that would compromise charging performance and fluidity.
Data Source
AI summary
A toner comprising a toner particle and an external additive, wherein the toner particle comprises a core comprising a resin A and a shell comprising a resin B on the surface of the core, the external additive comprises a hydrotalcite particle A, fluorine and aluminum are present in an inner part of the hydrotalcite particle A in line analysis in STEM-EDS mapping analysis of the toner, and a concentration ratio of the number of fluorine atoms relative to aluminum atoms (F/Al) in the hydrotalcite particle A, as determined by primary component mapping of the hydrotalcite particle A in the STEM-EDS mapping analysis of the toner, is 0.01 to 0.60.