Toner Composition with Elemental Iron and Silicon
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current toner technologies face challenges in achieving low-temperature fixing and preservation while reducing energy consumption, with existing methods often resulting in unreliable developer charge, toner scattering, and image deterioration due to indeterminate shape and surface structure formation during kneading and pulverizing processes.
Innovation Solution
A toner composition including elemental iron, silicon, and sulfur, with a binder resin comprising an amorphous polyester resin and a crystalline polyester resin, synthesized using a method that controls the mole ratio of aromatic to aliphatic portions, glass transition temperature, and endothermic gradients, and a fusing process above the glass transition temperature to form a coated aggregated particle, enhancing low-temperature fixedness and preservation while minimizing energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional kneading and pulverizing processes are used to form toner particles, then toner particles can be produced, but the shape and surface structure become indeterminate leading to unreliable developer charge and toner scattering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional mechanical kneading and pulverizing process with a chemical polymerization process. The toner particles are formed through polymerization of monomers in a liquid medium, followed by drying, which inherently produces particles with uniform spherical shapes and controlled surface structures without the need for mechanical intervention. This substitution eliminates the shape control problems associated with mechanical processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the polymerization conditions (temperature, time, monomer ratios, catalyst concentration) to precisely control the particle formation process. By adjusting these parameters, the invention achieves consistent particle shape, size, and surface structure, which directly improves developer charge reliability and eliminates toner scattering issues.
2Reliability
If high temperature fixing is used to ensure toner image fixation, then reliable fixing is achieved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical composition of the binder resin by incorporating specific functional groups and adjusting molecular weight distribution. This changes the thermal properties of the toner, allowing it to fix at lower temperatures. The controlled polymerization produces resins with optimized glass transition temperatures and melting characteristics that enable effective fixing below conventional temperature requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite binder resin system combining multiple polymer components with different thermal properties. This composite structure allows the toner to maintain integrity at lower temperatures while still achieving reliable fixation, effectively decoupling the fixing temperature from the traditionally high temperature requirement.
3Temperature
If low molecular weight resin is used to improve low-temperature fixedness, then fixing temperature can be reduced, but toner scattering increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite resin system where low molecular weight components (providing low-temperature flexibility) are combined with higher molecular weight components (providing structural integrity). This composite structure allows the toner to remain cohesive and resist scattering while still achieving effective fixation at reduced temperatures. The synergistic interaction between components of different molecular weights resolves the contradiction between low-temperature fixedness and scattering control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates local quality variations within the toner particle structure through controlled polymerization. The particle core and surface have different molecular weight distributions and compositional characteristics, with the surface layer providing enhanced cohesion to prevent scattering while the bulk material provides low-temperature processability. This spatial differentiation of properties allows simultaneous achievement of low-temperature fixedness and scattering control.
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 solution enables excellent low-temperature fixedness and preservation of toner images while reducing energy consumption in the toner preparation process, preventing phase separation and maintaining image quality.
Implementation Method 1
a glass transition temperature of the amorphous polyester resin, when measured by a differential scanning calorimetry, is in a range of 50 to 70° C.
Implementation Method 2
an endotherm in the melting of the crystalline polyester resin, when measured by the differential scanning calorimetry, is in a range of 2.0 to 10.0 W/g
Data Source
AI summary
A toner for developing an electrostatic charge image, the toner including: elemental iron, wherein a content of the elemental iron is in a range of 1.0×103 to 1.0×104 ppm, based on a total weight of the toner; elemental silicon, wherein a content of the elemental silicon is in a range of 1.0×103 to 5.0×103 ppm, based on a total weight of the toner; elemental sulfur, wherein a content of the elemental sulfur is in a range of 500 to 3,000 ppm, based on a total weight of the toner; optionally elemental fluorine, wherein a content of the elemental fluorine, if present, is in a range of 1.0×103 to 1.0×104 ppm; and a binder resin.