Silicon-Titanium Polymer Composite Toner for Charge Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing toner technologies fail to simultaneously maintain stable charge characteristics and prevent image fog across varying printing speeds and environments, leading to density fluctuations and color appearance issues.
Innovation Solution
A toner with a silicon-titanium polymer composite, where silicon polymer segments and titanium chelate segments are chemically bonded, controlling the titanium chelate distribution to optimize charge stability and conductivity, using a specific ratio of titanium to silicon atoms as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, to suppress charge leakage and moisture adsorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a large amount of titania is added to control charge characteristics, then charge uniformity is improved, but conductive paths are generated causing charge leakage and density fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a core-shell structure where titania particles are coated with silica. The core (titania) provides charge control properties while the shell (silica) provides insulating properties to prevent charge leakage. This local differentiation of material properties within the composite particle resolves the contradiction between needing conductive titania for charge uniformity and needing insulating material to prevent charge leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining titania and silica in a core-shell structure. The titania core provides the necessary charge control characteristics while the silica shell provides insulating properties to prevent excessive conductivity. This composite approach allows simultaneous achievement of charge uniformity and charge stability that neither material could provide alone.
2Stability of the object's composition
If titania particles are used to improve charge characteristics, then charge control is enhanced, but fog occurs in high-temperature and high-humidity environments
Solution Approach 1:
The silica shell is applied locally around the titania core to provide moisture resistance specifically where needed. The titania core maintains charge control functionality while the silica shell prevents moisture adsorption that would cause fog in high-humidity environments. This localized protection strategy resolves the contradiction between charge control enhancement and fog prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The silica shell acts as an intermediary barrier between the titania particles and the humid environment. It mediates the interaction by blocking moisture from reaching the titania surface, thereby preventing the formation of conductive paths that would cause image fog while allowing the titania to maintain its charge control properties.
3Stability of the object's composition
If polyhydric acid metal salt is used for charge control, then charge characteristics are improved, but moisture adsorption increases causing charge leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The silica shell serves as an intermediary protective layer that prevents moisture from reaching the polyhydric acid metal salt charge control agents. This intermediary barrier maintains the charge characteristics provided by the metal salt while preventing moisture adsorption that would otherwise cause charge leakage, especially in high-temperature and high-humidity environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The silica coating is applied locally around the toner particles containing polyhydric acid metal salt, creating a protective shell that specifically addresses the moisture adsorption issue without affecting the charge control functionality of the metal salt. This localized protection resolves the contradiction between charge characteristic improvement and charge leakage 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 toner achieves stable charge characteristics, reduced image fog, and consistent image density across different environments and printing speeds, ensuring low color appearance fluctuations from the first to the last prints.
Implementation Method 1
a silicon-titanium polymer composite, where silicon polymer segments and titanium chelate segments are chemically bonded
Implementation Method 2
Toners are transported onto a toner carrying member and then triboelectrically charged when the toners are rubbed against the charge-providing member
Implementation Method 3
the toners fly from the toner carrying member to an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image bearing member (hereinafter referred to as an electrophotographic photoreceptor or a photoreceptor) by electrostatic force
Implementation Method 4
many moisture adsorption sites exist, and the exposed polyhydric acid metal salt acts as a charge leakage point
Data Source
AI summary
A toner includes: a toner particle, in which the toner particle includes a toner base particle that contains a binder resin and a colorant, and a silicon-titanium polymer composite existing on a surface of the toner base particle, the silicon-titanium polymer composite contains a silicon polymer segment and a titanium chelate segment, the silicon-titanium polymer composite has a peak attributed to Ti—O—Si stretching vibration measured by infrared spectroscopy, and when the proportion of the number of atoms of titanium atoms obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis on the toner is taken as Ti-E, and the proportion of the number of atoms of silicon atoms is taken as Si-E, the Ti-E and the Si-E satisfy a specific relationship.