Toner Formulation with Crystalline Ester for Low-Temp Fixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Toner for electrostatic-image development faces challenges in achieving excellent low-temperature fixing property, heat-resistant storability, and long-term stability of charging, as existing toners with crystalline ester compounds struggle to balance compatibility with binder resins, leading to issues like image failure and decreased charging efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A toner formulation with a binder resin containing a styrene-acrylic resin and a crystalline ester compound having a linear-chain structure, where the styrene-acrylic resin includes an ethylene(propylene)glycol chain-containing structural unit, ensuring compatibility and maintaining the crystalline ester compound in a crystallized state within the toner particles, facilitating low-temperature fixing and heat-resistant storability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the compatibility between the crystalline ester compound and the binder resin is increased, then low-temperature fixing property is improved, but heat-resistant storability is degraded due to premature plasticity of the binder resin
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the binder resin by incorporating specific polyester resin components (adipic acid-based polyester resin and/or sebacic acid-based polyester resin) with controlled ratios. This parameter adjustment optimizes the balance between low-temperature fixing property and heat-resistant storability by modifying the resin's thermal and plasticity characteristics without compromising stability during storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite binder resin system combining multiple polyester resin types (adipic acid-based and/or sebacic acid-based) with specific proportions. This composite material approach allows the system to exhibit both low-temperature plasticity for effective fixing and high-temperature stability for reliable storage, resolving the contradiction between fixing performance and storability.
2Reliability
If the compatibility between the crystalline ester compound and the binder resin is decreased, then heat-resistant storability is improved, but low-temperature fixing property is insufficient and charging is lowered causing image failure
Solution Approach 1:
The invention adjusts the chemical composition parameters of the binder resin by incorporating specific polyester resin components (adipic acid-based polyester resin and/or sebacic acid-based polyester resin) with controlled ratios. This parameter adjustment optimizes the balance between low-temperature fixing property and heat-resistant storability by modifying the resin's thermal and plasticity characteristics without compromising stability during storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite binder resin system combining multiple polyester resin types (adipic acid-based and/or sebacic acid-based) with specific proportions. This composite material approach allows the system to exhibit both low-temperature plasticity for effective fixing and high-temperature stability for reliable storage, resolving the contradiction between fixing performance and storability.
3Ease of manufacture
If existing crystalline ester compounds are used with conventional binder resins, then manufacturing is simplified, but long-term stability of charging cannot be sufficiently satisfied
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the binder resin by incorporating specific polyester resin components (adipic acid-based polyester resin and/or sebacic acid-based polyester resin) with controlled ratios. This parameter adjustment optimizes the balance between low-temperature fixing property and heat-resistant storability by modifying the resin's thermal and plasticity characteristics without compromising stability during storage.
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 excellent low-temperature fixing property and long-term stability of charging by maintaining the crystalline ester compound in a crystallized state, preventing liberation and ensuring heat-resistant storability, while facilitating the plasticity of the binder resin during heat fixing.
Implementation Method 1
the crystalline ester compound is caused to exist in a crystallized state in toner particles
Implementation Method 2
the crystalline ester compound and the binder resin are made compatible with each other at the time of heat fixing
Implementation Method 3
the plasticity of the binder resin proceeds before the heat fixing
Implementation Method 4
at the time of heat fixing
Data Source
AI summary
The toner can obtain low-temperature fixing property, heat-resistant storability and long-term stability of charging while having excellent low-temperature fixing property. The toner is formed with toner particles containing a binder resin and a crystalline ester compound, the crystalline ester compound has a linear-chain structure, and the binder resin contains a styrene-acrylic resin including a structural unit derived from an acrylic ester monomer represented by general formula (1) below. In the general formula (1), R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and R2 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 16 carbon atoms or an aryl group having 6 to 15 carbon atoms. m represents 2 or 3, and n represents an integer of 1 to 25.