Toner with Controlled Melting and Viscosity for Fixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current toners face challenges in achieving low-temperature fixability while simultaneously suppressing gloss unevenness and hot offset on edges, as they tend to exhibit low viscosity after heating and large deformation differences between recesses and protrusions on paper.
Innovation Solution
A toner with a binder resin and crystalline material, where the heating rate dependence of the melting start temperature is controlled, and the amount of tetrahydrofuran-insoluble component in the binder resin is adjusted to satisfy specific conditions, ensuring the onset temperature difference is ≤3.0°C and the peak temperature of the maximum endothermic peak is between 50.0°C to 90.0°C, and the tetrahydrofuran-insoluble component is between 15% to 60% by mass.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by stationary object
If the toner is designed for low-temperature fixing, then energy consumption is reduced, but gloss unevenness increases due to large deformation differences between recesses and protrusions on paper
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical and chemical parameters of the binder resin by controlling the amount of tetrahydrofuran-insoluble component (15-60% by mass) and adjusting molecular weight distribution. This modifies the melting characteristics and viscosity-temperature relationship of the toner, enabling it to maintain appropriate viscosity at low fixing temperatures while reducing deformation differences between paper recesses and protrusions, thus suppressing gloss unevenness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite binder resin system combining soluble and insoluble components in specific ratios. The tetrahydrofuran-insoluble component provides structural integrity and controlled melting behavior, while the soluble component ensures proper flow and deformation characteristics. This composite structure enables simultaneous achievement of low-temperature fixability and gloss uniformity.
2Temperature
If the toner viscosity after heating is reduced to improve low-temperature fixability, then fixing temperature is lowered, but hot offset on edges increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies the viscosity-temperature characteristics of the toner by controlling the binder resin composition, specifically the tetrahydrofuran-insoluble component content (15-60% by mass). This creates an optimized viscosity profile where the toner maintains sufficiently high viscosity at temperatures above the fixing range to prevent hot offset on paper edges, while still achieving low enough viscosity at the actual fixing temperature to enable effective fixing.
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
This approach results in a toner that achieves excellent low-temperature fixability while effectively suppressing gloss unevenness and hot offset on edges, improving image quality and reducing energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
in differential scanning calorimetry of the toner, a peak temperature of a maximum endothermic peak is from 50.0° C. to 90.0° C.
Implementation Method 2
in powder dynamic viscoelasticity measurement of the toner, where an onset temperature of a storage elastic modulus E' obtained when a temperature is raised at 20° C./min is denoted by T(A)° C., and an onset temperature of a storage elastic modulus E' obtained when a temperature is raised at 5° C./min is denoted by T(B)° C.
Implementation Method 3
when a temperature is raised at 20° C./min, and an onset temperature of a storage elastic modulus E' obtained when a temperature is raised at 5° C./min
Data Source
AI summary
A toner including a toner particle including a binder resin and a crystalline material, wherein in powder dynamic viscoelasticity measurement of the toner, where an onset temperature of a storage elastic modulus E′ obtained when a temperature is raised at 20° C./min is denoted by T(A)° C., and an onset temperature of a storage elastic modulus E′ obtained when a temperature is raised at 5° C./min is denoted by T(B)° C., T(A)−T(B) is 3.0° C. or less, in DSC of the toner, a peak temperature of a maximum endothermic peak is from 50.0° C. to 90.0° C., and an amount of a tetrahydrofuran-insoluble component in the binder resin is from 15% by mass to 60% by mass.