Ester Wax Carbon Distribution for Toner Fixability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing toners face challenges in achieving low-temperature fixability and storage stability while prolonging service life, as they tend to suffer from wax deposition under high temperature and humidity, leading to contamination of the carrier surface and deterioration of image quality.
Innovation Solution
A toner formulation comprising toner particles with a coloring agent, amorphous polyester, crystalline polyester, and ester wax, where the ester wax has a specific carbon number distribution and inorganic oxide particles like hydrophobic silica are added to improve dispersibility and fixability, ensuring the ester wax's endothermic peak temperature is lower than the crystalline polyester's, thereby enhancing low-temperature offset resistance and storage stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If an ester wax with a small carbon number and sharp intensity ratio distribution is used, then low-temperature offset resistance is improved, but storage property deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the carbon number distribution parameters of the ester wax, specifically setting the content of ester compounds with carbon number 38 or less to 10% or less and controlling the intensity ratio distribution to be broader rather than sharp. This parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction by preventing wax deposition while maintaining low-temperature offset resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite formulation combining ester wax with specific carbon number distribution, crystalline polyester resin, and amorphous polyester resin. This composite approach allows the ester wax to provide low-temperature offset resistance while the controlled carbon number distribution prevents storage property deterioration.
2Temperature
If the proportion of components having a small carbon number in the ester wax is increased, then low-temperature fixation is improved, but storage stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the proportion of ester compounds with small carbon numbers (38 or less) to be 10% or less of the total ester wax content. This parameter control enables low-temperature fixation while preventing storage stability deterioration by avoiding excessive small carbon number components that cause wax deposition.
3Stability of the object's composition
If an ester wax with a large carbon number and sharp intensity ratio distribution is used, then storage property is improved, but low-temperature offset resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the intensity ratio distribution from sharp to broader while controlling the carbon number range to 32-54. This broader distribution prevents the long straight chains associated with sharp distributions, thereby maintaining low-temperature offset resistance while preserving storage property through controlled carbon number selection.
4Temperature
If a toner formulation is optimized for low-temperature fixation, then low-temperature fixability is improved, but service life shortens due to wax deposition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the carbon number distribution parameters of the ester wax (content of C38 or less at 10% or less, broader intensity ratio) to achieve low-temperature fixability while preventing wax deposition that would otherwise shorten service life. This parameter optimization allows both low-temperature fixability and prolonged service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent takes preliminary action by controlling the ester wax composition before use, specifically limiting small carbon number components and broadening the intensity ratio distribution. This preliminary composition control prevents wax deposition on the carrier surface, thereby preventing chargeability deterioration and extending service life while maintaining 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 improved low-temperature fixability, storage stability, and extended service life by effectively preventing wax deposition and maintaining chargeability, resulting in better image quality and longer machine operation without contamination of the carrier surface.
Implementation Method 1
an ester wax having an endothermic peak temperature of T1 as measured by a differential scanning calorimeter
Implementation Method 2
the ester wax contains multiple ester compounds, each having a carbon number selected from 32 to 54
Implementation Method 3
The inorganic oxide particles contain hydrophobic silica having an average primary particle diameter of 8 to 35 nm
Implementation Method 4
a crystalline polyester having an endothermic peak temperature of T2 as measured by a differential scanning calorimeter
Implementation Method 5
a crystalline polyester resin having excellent low-temperature offset resistance
Data Source
AI summary
A toner comprising a coloring agent, an amorphous polyester, a crystalline polyester, ester wax comprising of multiple ester compounds, each having a carbon number selected from 32 to 54 and, hydrophobic silica having an average primary particle diameter of 8 to 35 nm, wherein when the ion intensity ratio of each ester compound having a different carbon number is expressed as percentage, the content (a) of the ester compound having a carbon number of (Cn) showing the maximum intensity ratio is from 20 to 55% by weight of the entire ester wax, and the sum (d) of the content (b) of the ester compound having a carbon number of (Cn−4) and the content (c) of the ester compound having a carbon number of (Cn−2) satisfies the following formula: 0.619≤d/a≤0.783.