Toner Production via Amorphous Polyester Mediator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing toners with high image density and high yield in electrophotographic systems face challenges, particularly with the aggregation and coalescing of crystalline polyester resin and colorant particles, leading to reduced yield due to local aggregation and deposition issues.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the aggregation and coalescing of resin particles containing amorphous and crystalline polyester resins, along with colorant particles having an addition polymer with an aromatic group, in an aqueous medium, to improve dispersion stability and prevent local aggregation, thereby enhancing image density and production yield.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If crystalline polyester resin and colorant particles are aggregated and coalesced in an aqueous medium, then toner production efficiency is improved, but local aggregation and deposition on reactor surfaces occur reducing yield
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a specific amorphous polyester-based resin as an intermediary substance between the crystalline polyester resin and colorant particles. This amorphous resin acts as a mediator that prevents direct aggregation between crystalline resin and colorant, thereby avoiding local aggregation and deposition on reactor surfaces while maintaining efficient toner production. The amorphous resin's molecular structure and properties serve as a buffering interface that resolves the contradiction between production efficiency and yield.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the resin system by incorporating an amorphous polyester-based resin with specific molecular weight, functional group content, and glass transition temperature. This parameter change transforms the aggregation behavior of the system, preventing harmful local aggregation and deposition while maintaining productive coalescing. The specific parameter ranges specified in the patent (molecular weight, carboxyl group content, glass transition temperature) are optimized to resolve the contradiction.
2Manufacturing precision
If colorant particles are used to achieve high image density, then image quality is improved, but deposition on reactor surfaces occurs reducing production yield
Solution Approach 1:
The amorphous polyester-based resin serves as an intermediary that interacts with colorant particles to prevent their deposition on reactor surfaces. This mediator maintains the dispersibility and stability of colorant particles in the aqueous medium throughout the aggregation and coalescing process, ensuring that high image density is achieved without loss of colorant to reactor surface deposition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite system combining amorphous polyester-based resin, crystalline polyester resin, and colorant particles. This composite material approach allows the colorant to achieve high image density while the amorphous resin component prevents deposition, thus resolving the contradiction between image quality and production yield.
3Manufacturing precision
If aggregation and coalescing is performed to produce fine toner particles, then image quality is improved, but local aggregation reduces production yield
Solution Approach 1:
The amorphous polyester-based resin acts as a mediator during the aggregation and coalescing process, enabling fine particle formation while preventing harmful local aggregation. It controls the interaction between crystalline resin particles and colorant, ensuring uniform distribution and preventing clumping that would reduce yield.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes parameters including the molecular weight, carboxyl group content, and glass transition temperature of the amorphous polyester-based resin to achieve fine particle size distribution without local aggregation. These parameter changes enable controlled aggregation that produces the desired fine particles while maintaining high production yield.
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 method achieves higher image density and improved toner yield by improving the dispersibility of colorants and preventing deposition on reactor surfaces, resulting in more efficient toner production.
Implementation Method 1
aggregating and coalescing resin particles and colorant particles in an aqueous medium
Implementation Method 2
the colorant particles contain a colorant and an addition polymer of a raw material monomer containing an addition-polymerizing monomer having an aromatic group
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing a toner, including aggregating and coalescing resin particles and colorant particles in an aqueous medium. The resin particles contain, in the same or different particles, an amorphous polyester-based resin which is a polycondensate of an alcohol component containing an aromatic alcohol and a carboxylic acid component, and a crystalline polyester resin. The colorant particles contain a colorant and an addition polymer of a raw material monomer containing an addition-polymerizing monomer having an aromatic group. A ratio by mass of the colorant to the addition polymer in the colorant particles is 50/50 or more and 95/5 or less.