Emissive Toner Composition for Spectral Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current toner systems for marking and authentication rely on reflective printing, which limits the ability to produce stable and full-color emissive images that can be detected in various spectral regions, especially under non-visible excitation wavelengths.
Innovation Solution
Development of a stable emissive toner composition system that includes photoluminescent agents emitting light in specific spectral regions when excited, combined with charge control agents and additives, allowing for the production of full-color images that emit light in desired spectral regions, even without visible light, using a printer to apply these toner compositions on a substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If reflective printing is used with conventional toner systems, then printing can be performed on substrates, but the ability to produce stable and full-color emissive images that can be detected in various spectral regions is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental optical parameter of the toner system from reflective to emissive properties by incorporating photoluminescent agents. This allows the toner to emit light in specific spectral regions when excited, enabling detection across UV, visible, and infrared regions while maintaining stability through controlled photoluminescence characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite toner material system combining photoluminescent agents with charge control agents and other additives. This composite structure enables the toner to simultaneously achieve stable emissive properties, full-color capability through multiple photoluminescent agents, and proper charging behavior for electrophotographic printing
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple photoluminescent agents are combined to produce full-color emissive images, then color purity and stability are improved, but the complexity of the toner composition increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the full-color emissive capability into multiple discrete photoluminescent agents, each responsible for specific color regions. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each agent's photoluminescence properties while maintaining overall color purity and stability in the composite toner system
Solution Approach 2:
The patent carefully controls the concentration and spectral characteristics of each photoluminescent agent to optimize color purity. By adjusting these parameters, the system achieves full-color emissive capability while managing the complexity of the multi-agent composition through systematic formulation
3Reliability
If photoluminescent agents are used to produce emissive images detectable in various spectral regions, then authentication and security features are enhanced, but the cost and complexity of the printing system increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the photoluminescent toner system to serve multiple functions: it enables standard electrophotographic printing through proper charging properties, produces full-color emissive images for authentication, and allows detection across multiple spectral regions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized systems while enhancing security capabilities
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 system achieves high stability and color purity, enabling the creation of emissive images that can be detected across a wide range of colors, including those not visible to the naked eye, enhancing authentication and security features.
Implementation Method 1
each of the plurality of toner compositions includes a photoluminescent agent that emits light having one or more emission peaks in a first emission spectral region, each of the one or more emission peaks centered at a corresponding respective emission wavelength, when irradiated with a first excitation energy
Data Source
AI summary
A method of producing an emissive toner composition including selecting a photoluminescent agent, a charge control agent, and one or more additives and combining the photoluminescent agent, charge control agent, and one or more additives to form an emissive toner composition that when printed to produce an image component on a substrate, the emission spectra of the image component for irradiation with a first excitation energy includes only dominant emission peaks corresponding to one or more dominant emission peaks of the photoluminescent agent. The photoluminescent agent is selected such that it emits light having one or more dominant emission peaks in a first emission spectral region when irradiated with the first excitation energy. The charge control agent and one or more additives are selected such that they do not emit light in the visible spectrum when irradiated with visible light and does not emit light in the first emission spectral region when irradiated with the first excitation energy.