Toner Composition with Composite Particles for Scratch Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing toners face challenges in achieving high productivity while preventing scratch scraping, especially when used on media like coated paper that are difficult to fix.
Innovation Solution
A toner composition that includes toner particles with a binder resin and crystalline polyester, and composite particles on the surface, where the composite particles consist of organic silicon compounds with siloxane bonds and inorganic fine particles, optimized in terms of silicon atom proportions and embedding ratios.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the process speed is decreased to allow sufficient melting and fixing of toner on coated paper, then the toner fixation quality improves, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the binder resin, specifically using a polyester resin with a number average molecular weight of 5,000 to 20,000 and incorporating carboxylic acid groups with specific content (0.5 to 5 mmol/g). This parameter optimization allows the toner to achieve adequate fixation at higher process speeds while maintaining image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite binder resin system combining polyester resin with specific additives and modifiers. This composite material approach creates a toner formulation that balances melting characteristics and adhesion properties, enabling high-speed printing without compromising fixation quality on difficult media like coated paper.
2Productivity
If conventional toner formulations are used on coated paper, then productivity is maintained, but scratch scraping occurs causing image defects
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the molecular weight parameter of the polyester resin to 5,000-20,000 and controls the carboxylic acid group content within 0.5-5 mmol/g. These parameter changes enhance the toner's resistance to scratch scraping while maintaining high-speed printing capability, preventing image defects on coated paper without reducing productivity.
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 composition enhances scratch resistance and maintains high productivity by ensuring the composite particles remain on the image surface, even under strong external stress, thereby preventing peeling and image defects.
Implementation Method 1
an organic silicon compound that has a siloxane bond
Implementation Method 2
the crystalline polyester has a main chain skeleton and long-chain alkyl groups as side chains. Further, the long-chain alkyl groups as side chains are regularly arranged and crystallized, and thus the resin exhibits crystallinity.
Data Source
AI summary
A toner including a toner particle and a composite particle present on a surface of the toner particle. The composite particle includes a fine particle A containing, as a binder component, an organic silicon compound, and a fine particle B which is an inorganic fine particle. The fine particle B is present in a state where a part of the fine particle B is embedded in a surface of the fine particle A. Proportions of silicon atoms in bifunctional to tetrafunctional silane monomers of the fine particle A satisfy predetermined relationships. A primary particle of the fine particle B has a number average particle diameter of 0.01 μm or greater and 0.06 μm or less. An average value of embedding ratios of the fine particle B to the fine particle A in the composite particle is 30% or greater and 90% or less.