Emulsion Aggregation Toner Calcium Surface Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional emulsion aggregation toners and developers face issues with cohesion and charging, leading to image quality degradation and trimmer clogging, particularly due to the loss of calcium during the EA process, which affects toner performance and gloss.
Innovation Solution
Introducing a calcium-containing material onto the surface of toner particles, either before or after the EA process, to maintain optimal cohesion and charge levels, thereby improving toner performance and reducing trimmer clogging. This is achieved by using a calcium-containing wash after sequestering agent treatment to reintroduce calcium and control the amount of calcium on the toner surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If emulsion aggregation toners are used to achieve uniform sizes and environmental friendliness, then manufacturing precision and adaptability are improved, but loss of calcium during the EA process occurs, leading to degraded cohesion and charging performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers calcium that is lost during the emulsion aggregation process by adding calcium-containing compounds (such as calcium stearate, calcium carbonate, or calcium hydroxide) to the toner formulation. This recovery approach maintains the benefits of EA toners while compensating for calcium depletion that would otherwise degrade toner performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the toner by introducing specific calcium-containing compounds at controlled concentrations (typically 0.1-5.0 weight percent). This parameter adjustment restores calcium levels and improves cohesion and charging properties without compromising the uniform size distribution achieved through EA.
2Ease of manufacture
If calcium is not supplemented in emulsion aggregation toners, then the EA process remains simple, but cohesion and charging performance deteriorate, leading to image quality degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating calcium-containing compounds into the toner formulation before the emulsion aggregation process or during subsequent processing steps. This pre-preparation ensures that calcium is available to maintain proper cohesion and charging performance throughout the toner's service life, preventing image quality degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces calcium-containing compounds as intermediary substances that mediate between the EA process and the final toner performance. These compounds (such as calcium stearate or calcium carbonate) act as bridges that restore calcium levels and improve inter-particle interactions, thereby enhancing cohesion and charging without disrupting the EA process itself.
3Productivity
If developer housing overheats during high volume print runs, then productivity increases, but heat causes developer agglomeration and clump formation, degrading image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by incorporating calcium-containing compounds into the toner formulation before the heating occurs during high-volume printing. This pre-preparation creates a buffer that prevents thermal-induced agglomeration, allowing the developer to withstand elevated temperatures without forming clumps that would degrade image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the thermal stability parameters of the toner by adding calcium-containing compounds that raise the threshold temperature for agglomeration. This parameter change allows the system to operate at higher temperatures during high-volume printing while maintaining developer integrity and preventing clump formation.
4Reliability
If calcium-containing material is added to toner surface, then cohesion and charge levels improve, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the calcium supplementation step with existing toner manufacturing operations. By incorporating calcium-containing compounds during standard formulation or surface treatment steps rather than adding separate complex processes, the manufacturing complexity is minimized while still achieving improved cohesion and charge levels.
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 process results in toners with improved cohesion, charge levels, and reduced trimmer clogging, ensuring high-gloss image quality and effective performance across various environmental conditions, as demonstrated by the reduction in trimmer clogging values and improved fusing properties.
Implementation Method 1
a calcium-containing material at least in a surface portion of the toner particles
Implementation Method 2
the toner and the carrier are mixed to become electrically charged with opposite polarities through triboelectrification
Data Source
AI summary
Toner including toner particles having a calcium-containing material at least in a surface portion of the toner particle, wherein the toner particles contain calcium in an amount of from 20 ppm to about 300 ppm of calcium by dry weight of the toner. Developer including a carrier and a toner, wherein the toner includes toner particles having a calcium-containing material at least in a surface portion of the toner particles. In an emulsion aggregation process for making toner particles, the toner particles are treated with calcium. The addition of calcium to the toner particles improves toner performance by lowering cohesion and charging, thereby generating an image of high gloss.