Liquid Developer Toner Resin Elution Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid developers in electrophotography face issues with resin binder elution into insulating liquids, leading to filming on printer components and disruptions in image fusion, while also struggling to balance low-temperature fusing ability and storage stability.
Innovation Solution
A liquid developer comprising toner particles with a polyester resin binder and a dispersant copolymer, where the resin binder is polycondensed with aliphatic diols and aromatic dicarboxylic acids, and the dispersant copolymer is formulated to control resin binder elution and enhance low-temperature fusing ability by modifying the toner surface and maintaining stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If resin binder is used in liquid developer, then toner particles can be formed and dispersed, but resin binder elutes into insulating liquid causing filming on printer components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the resin binder by specifying precise compositional ratios (aliphatic diol 70-100% by mol, aromatic dicarboxylic acid 0-30% by mol, aliphatic dicarboxylic acid 0-30% by mol) and glass transition temperature (35°C or higher) to reduce resin binder elution into the insulating liquid while maintaining storage stability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite resin binder system combining multiple components (aliphatic diol, aromatic dicarboxylic acid, aliphatic dicarboxylic acid) with specific ratios to achieve both storage stability and reduced elution, rather than using a single material
2Productivity
If liquid developer viscosity is lowered to speed up development, then development speed increases, but toner particle dispersion stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the resin binder's glass transition temperature (35°C or higher) and compositional parameters to enable low-temperature fusing while maintaining appropriate viscosity for fast development and stable toner particle dispersion
3Manufacturing precision
If toner particle size is reduced to improve image quality, then image resolution increases, but viscosity control and storage stability become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies precise resin binder compositional parameters (aliphatic diol 70-100% by mol, glass transition temperature 35°C or higher) that enable the formulation to work effectively with smaller toner particles while maintaining viscosity control and storage stability
4Productivity
If low-temperature fusing ability is improved, then fusing efficiency increases, but resin binder elution and filming problems worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves low-temperature fusing ability (glass transition temperature 35°C or higher) while preventing resin binder elution by carefully controlling the resin binder composition (aliphatic diol 70-100% by mol, aromatic dicarboxylic acid 0-30% by mol, aliphatic dicarboxylic acid 0-30% by mol), resolving the contradiction between fusing efficiency and elution control
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 solution achieves smaller particle sizes, lowered viscosity, and improved storage stability with controlled resin binder elution, ensuring excellent low-temperature fusing ability and preventing filming issues in printers.
Implementation Method 1
a polyester resin P having a glass transition temperature of 35°C or higher, obtained by polycondensing raw material monomers containing an alcohol component containing an aliphatic diol having 2 or more carbon atoms and 6 or less carbon atoms
Implementation Method 2
the dispersant copolymer is formulated to control resin binder elution and enhance low-temperature fusing ability by modifying the toner surface
Implementation Method 3
toner particles are dispersed in an insulating liquid in the presence of a dispersant
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid developer containing toner particles containing a resin binder and a pigment, wherein the toner particles are dispersed in an insulating liquid in the presence of a dispersant, wherein the resin binder contains a polyester resin P having a glass transition temperature of 35°C or higher, obtained by polycondensing raw material monomers containing an alcohol component comprising an aliphatic diol having 2 or more carbon atoms and 6 or less carbon atoms in an amount of 70% by mol or more and 100% by mol or less, and a carboxylic acid component, and wherein the dispersant contains a copolymer C prepared by polymerizing a monomer A having an amino group and a monomer B represented by the formula (I): wherein R1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; and R2 is an alkyl group having 1 or more carbon atoms and 22 or less carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2 or more carbon atoms and 22 or less carbon atoms, each of which may have a substituent, wherein a molar ratio of the monomer A to the monomer B (monomer A/monomer B) is 2/98 or more and 50/50 or less; and a method for producing the same. The liquid developer of the present invention is suitably used in development or the like of latent images formed in electrophotography, electrostatic recording method, electrostatic printing method or the like.