Toner Binder Resin Matrix-Domain Structure for Fixability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional toners face challenges in achieving low-temperature fixability and heat-resistant storability, especially in high-speed machines, while also maintaining hot offset resistance and stackability.
Innovation Solution
A toner composition with a binder resin comprising an amorphous resin and a crystalline resin, where specific viscoelasticity measurements and a matrix-domain structure are controlled to ensure low-temperature fixability, heat-resistant storability, and improved stackability, with the crystalline resin providing sharp melt properties and the amorphous resin maintaining shape after fixing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a crystalline resin is used as the binder resin to achieve low-temperature fixability, then the melting rate increases and low-temperature fixability improves, but heat-resistant storability and stackability deteriorate in high-speed machines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the binder resin by incorporating both crystalline and amorphous components with specific melting points and glass transition temperatures. The crystalline resin (50-110°C) provides sharp melting for low-temperature fixing, while the amorphous resin (Tg: 40-80°C) maintains structural integrity for heat-resistant storability, resolving the contradiction between low-temperature fixability and heat-resistant storability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite binder resin system combining crystalline resin and amorphous resin in specific proportions. This composite structure allows the crystalline component to provide sharp melt properties for low-temperature fixing while the amorphous component ensures heat-resistant storability and stackability, effectively resolving the technical contradiction
2Temperature
If a crystalline resin is used to improve low-temperature fixability, then sharp melt properties are achieved, but hot offset resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the thermal parameters of the binder resin by selecting crystalline resin with melting point 50-110°C and amorphous resin with Tg 40-80°C. This parameter optimization enables sharp melting at low temperatures for good fixability while maintaining sufficient viscosity at high temperatures for hot offset resistance
3Use of energy by moving object
If the melting rate of the toner is increased for low-temperature fixability, then fixation at lower energy is achieved, but stackability deteriorates in high-speed machines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the thermal transition parameters of the binder resin, setting the crystalline resin melting point between 50-110°C and amorphous resin Tg between 40-80°C. This enables the toner to melt sharply at low temperatures for energy-efficient fixing while maintaining adequate viscosity at higher temperatures for good stackability in high-speed machines
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 enhanced low-temperature fixability, heat-resistant storability, and excellent hot offset resistance and stackability in high-speed machines by precisely controlling the storage elastic modulus and matrix-domain structure.
Implementation Method 1
crystals of crystalline resins rapidly melt when the temperature exceeds the melting point, and the viscosity rapidly decreases as the crystals melt
Implementation Method 2
endothermic peak (melting point) appears in differential scanning calorimetry
Implementation Method 3
in a viscoelasticity measurement of the toner, T1 (° C.) represents a temperature at which a storage elastic modulus G′ is 3.0×107 Pa
Data Source
AI summary
A toner comprising a toner particle, the toner particle comprises a binder resin. The binder resin comprises an amorphous resin A and a crystalline resin C. T1, T2 and T3 satisfy specific relationships, where, in a viscoelasticity measurement of the toner, T1 (° C.) represents a temperature at which a storage elastic modulus G′ is 3.0×107 Pa, T2 (° C.) represents temperature at which the storage elastic modulus G′ is 1.0×107 Pa, and T3 (° C.) represents a temperature at which the storage elastic modulus G′ is 3.0×106 Pa. A storage elastic modulus G′ (100) at 100° C. is in a specific range. In an observation of a cross section of the toner, a matrix-domain structure having a matrix by the crystalline resin C and domains by the amorphous resin A is observed, an area ratio and a number-basis average surface area of the domains are in specific ranges.