Toner Composition with Crystalline Polyester and Calcium Carbonate
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing toners face challenges in achieving both low temperature fixability and hot offset resistance while maintaining excellent scratch resistance of the fixed image.
Innovation Solution
A toner composition is developed, featuring a crystalline polyester with a specific ester group concentration and calcium carbonate particles, which interact to enhance the cohesive force and filler effect within the toner particles, thereby improving hot offset resistance and scratch resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a crystalline polyester is used to achieve low temperature fixability, then low temperature fixability is improved, but hot offset resistance is lowered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite material system consisting of crystalline polyester and calcium carbonate particles. The crystalline polyester provides low temperature fixability through its sharp meltability, while the calcium carbonate particles provide hot offset resistance by maintaining toner viscosity at high temperatures. This composite approach allows both properties to coexist without compromising either one.
2Reliability
If calcium carbonate is added to improve hot offset resistance, then hot offset resistance is improved, but scratch resistance of the fixed image is lowered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the content ratio of calcium carbonate particles to crystalline polyester within specific ranges (calcium carbonate: 1-20 parts by mass, crystalline polyester: 89-80 parts by mass based on total toner composition). This parameter optimization ensures that the calcium carbonate provides sufficient hot offset resistance while the crystalline polyester maintains adequate scratch resistance by preserving toner cohesion and flexibility.
3Reliability
If the ester group concentration of crystalline polyester is increased to enhance interaction with calcium carbonate, then hot offset resistance is improved, but molecular motility is lowered reducing interaction effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies that the ester group concentration of the crystalline polyester should be within a specific range (25-45 mmol/g). This parameter optimization balances two competing requirements: sufficient ester groups to interact with calcium carbonate atoms for hot offset resistance, and adequate molecular motility to allow these interactions to occur effectively during the toner fixing process.
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 proposed toner solution effectively balances low temperature fixability, hot offset resistance, and scratch resistance, providing a comprehensive improvement over existing toner technologies.
Implementation Method 1
The presence of the calcium carbonate particle in the toner particle allows the ester group of the crystalline polyester to interact with the calcium atom of the calcium carbonate
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a toner having both low temperature fixability and hot offset resistance and having excellent scratch resistance of a fixed image. A toner including a toner particle containing a binder resin, a crystalline polyester, and a calcium carbonate particle, in which the crystalline polyester includes a unit derived from an aliphatic diol and a unit derived from an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid, an ester group concentration Ec of the crystalline polyester is 27% by mass or more to 50% by mass or less, a content Ma of the calcium carbonate particle included in the toner particle is 3% by mass or more to 40% by mass or less, and a ratio (Ma/Mc) of the content Ma of the calcium carbonate particle included in the toner particle to a content Mc (% by mass) of the crystalline polyester included in the toner particle is 0.2 or more to 20 or less.