Toner with Ester Plasticizer for Low-Temp Fixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional toners with low-temperature fixability suffer from color tone unevenness and gloss reduction due to the seepage of plasticizers onto the image surface, which affects image quality.
Innovation Solution
A toner formulation incorporating a styrene-acrylic-based resin with a specific unit and a bifunctional ester compound, optimized in molar ratio, to enhance compatibility and prevent seepage, ensuring uniform plasticization and recrystallization, thereby maintaining image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a large amount of plasticizer is added to the toner to improve low-temperature fixability, then the toner can be rapidly melted at lower temperature, but the plasticizer seeps into the surface of the toner and forms a layer on the image surface causing color tone unevenness
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical structure parameters of the plasticizer by introducing a specific molecular structure with a long alkyl chain (12-22 carbon atoms) and ester groups. This structural modification alters the plasticizer's properties to reduce its tendency to seep while maintaining low-temperature melting capability, thus resolving the contradiction between low fixing temperature and color tone uniformity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite system by combining the modified plasticizer (ester compound) with a specific binder resin containing polar groups. This composite formulation enhances compatibility between components, preventing phase separation and seepage while maintaining effective plasticization at lower temperatures, thereby addressing both the temperature and color tone issues
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the compatibility between binder resin and plasticizer is enhanced to prevent seepage, then color tone unevenness is suppressed, but gloss reduction occurs in the image over time
Solution Approach 1:
The invention adjusts the molecular weight and chain length parameters of the ester compound to optimize its recrystallization behavior. The specific carbon chain length (12-22 atoms) and ester group configuration promote fine crystal formation rather than coarse crystals, preventing gloss reduction while maintaining the compatibility needed to suppress color tone unevenness
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces local structural features (ester groups at specific positions in the molecule) that create different functional zones within the plasticizer molecule. The long alkyl chain provides compatibility and prevents seepage, while the ester groups control recrystallization to form fine structures that maintain gloss, thus resolving the contradiction between preventing seepage and maintaining gloss
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 fixability while suppressing color tone unevenness and gloss reduction, ensuring consistent image quality over time.
Implementation Method 1
The plasticizer is rapidly melted by heat to plasticize the binder resin, allowing the viscosity of the toner at melting to be reduced
Implementation Method 2
light is scattered in the layer of the plasticizer recrystallized after cooling
Implementation Method 3
The plasticizer is rapidly melted by heat to plasticize the binder resin
Data Source
AI summary
A toner including a toner particle containing a binder resin and an ester compound, wherein the binder resin contains a styrene-acrylic-based resin, the styrene-acrylic-based resin contains a specific unit, the ester compound has a specific structure, and a molar ratio of the specific unit to the ester compound is 0.5 to 1.5.