Hybrid Emulsion Aggregate Toner Resin Composition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing emulsion aggregation toners face challenges in achieving optimal surface morphology and fusing performance due to variations in resin composition, particularly when combining styrene-acrylate and polyester resins, leading to issues with toner blocking and heat cohesion.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid emulsion aggregation toner composition is developed, incorporating a core with styrene-acrylate, crystalline polyester, and amorphous polyester resins, along with polyaluminum chloride as the aggregating agent, which reduces the amount of styrene-acrylate on the surface and improves morphology, while maintaining low dielectric loss and fusing performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If styrene-acrylate resin is used to provide high gloss and lower cost, then manufacturing cost and surface gloss are improved, but fusing performance deteriorates due to higher melting temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines styrene-acrylate resin and polyester resin in a single toner composition, merging the cost advantages and gloss properties of styrene-acrylate with the low fusing temperature and good fusing performance of polyester. This hybrid approach allows the toner to achieve both economic viability and functional performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite resin system comprising both styrene-acrylate and polyester components. This composite material approach enables the toner to exhibit properties from both parent materials, specifically combining the low cost and high gloss of styrene-acrylate with the low melting temperature and excellent fusing performance of polyester.
2Temperature
If polyester resin is used to achieve low fusing temperature and good fusing performance, then fusing performance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges polyester resin with styrene-acrylate resin, combining the superior fusing performance of polyester with the cost-effectiveness of styrene-acrylate. This combination allows the toner to achieve low fusing temperature while reducing manufacturing costs compared to using polyester alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a composite resin system where polyester and styrene-acrylate work together. The polyester component provides low fusing temperature and good fusing performance, while the styrene-acrylate component reduces manufacturing cost, creating a cost-effective solution without sacrificing fusing performance.
3Ease of manufacture
If hybrid resin composition is used to combine advantages of both toner types, then cost and fusing performance are improved, but surface morphology deteriorates due to variation in melting behavior
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the ratio and composition of resin components to control melting behavior parameters. By optimizing the hybrid resin composition, the patent achieves uniform melting across different resin types, which prevents surface morphology deterioration while maintaining cost and fusing performance advantages.
4Productivity
If conventional aggregating agents are used, then toner production is achieved, but surface morphology and blocking properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the aggregating agent by using polyaluminum chloride instead of conventional agents. This parameter change in the aggregating agent's chemical composition enables better control over toner particle formation, resulting in improved surface morphology and blocking properties while maintaining productive toner production.
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 hybrid toner composition achieves improved surface morphology, reduced toner blocking, enhanced heat cohesion, and lower dielectric loss, while maintaining low fusing temperatures and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
These embodiments comprise polyaluminum chloride (PAC) instead of the more commonly used aluminum sulfate as the flocculant or aggregating agent
Implementation Method 2
it was discovered that toners with styrene-acrylate latexes do not melt at the same temperature during the toner process as the polyester toners
Data Source
AI summary
Toners and processes useful in providing toners suitable for electrophotographic apparatuses, including apparatuses such as digital, image-on-image, and similar apparatuses. In particular, emulsion aggregate toner compositions that use two different emulsion aggregation (EA) technologies and which comprise a base resin composed of both styrene-acrylate and polyester resins. These toner compositions further include polyaluminum chloride (PAC) instead of the more commonly used aluminum sulfate as the flocculant or aggregating agent.