Toner External Additives for Image Quality in High Humidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
In electrophotography, electrostatic charge image developing toners face issues with image defects such as color streaks and fogging due to toner filming and electric charge leakage, especially in high-temperature and high-humidity environments, where silicone oil-based additives absorb moisture and cause electrical charge leakage.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating inorganic particles with saturated hydrocarbons having 9 to 35 carbon atoms as external additives, which have low moisture absorbency and reduce the coefficient of friction, thereby preventing toner filming and electric charge leakage by ensuring the hydrocarbons are physically adsorbed onto the particles' surfaces, covering at least 50% of the surface area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If silicone oil-based additives are used in toner, then fluidity and cleaning property are improved, but moisture absorbency increases causing electric charge leakage and image defects in high-temperature and high-humidity environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter of the external additive from silicone oil-based to inorganic particles with saturated hydrocarbons (9-35 carbon atoms). This parameter change maintains the desired fluidity and cleaning properties while fundamentally altering the moisture interaction characteristics, eliminating the electric charge leakage problem that occurred with silicone oil in high-temperature and high-humidity environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite external additive by coating inorganic particles (such as silica, alumina, or titanium oxide) with saturated hydrocarbons having 9-35 carbon atoms. This composite structure combines the low moisture absorbency and electrical stability of inorganic particles with the surface properties of saturated hydrocarbons that provide good fluidity and cleaning performance, resolving the contradiction between operational ease and reliability.
2Ease of operation
If external additives are added to toner particles, then fluidity is improved, but toner filming occurs causing color streaks and image defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of the external additive from organic silicone oil to inorganic particles with hydrocarbon coating. This parameter change reduces the adhesive properties that cause toner filming while maintaining sufficient fluidity through the hydrocarbon coating, thereby preventing color streaks and image defects.
Solution Approach 2:
The inorganic particles with saturated hydrocarbon coating act as a sacrificial layer that prevents toner-to-toner adhesion. The coating provides a low-friction surface that allows toner particles to move freely without forming films, effectively preventing the harmful object-generated effect of toner filming.
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 use of inorganic particles with saturated hydrocarbons effectively suppresses image defects like color streaks and fogging, maintaining image quality even in challenging environmental conditions by preventing toner attachment and electric charge leakage.
Implementation Method 1
ensuring the hydrocarbons are physically adsorbed onto the particles' surfaces, covering at least 50% of the surface area
Implementation Method 2
reduce the coefficient of friction, thereby preventing toner filming and electric charge leakage
Data Source
AI summary
An electrostatic charge image developing toner includes toner particles containing a colorant, a binder resin, and a release agent and an external additive, in which the external additive contains inorganic particles which include saturated hydrocarbons having from 9 to 35 carbon atoms on the surfaces thereof.