Toner Polyalkylene Release Agent Glossiness Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing toners fail to achieve desired glossiness in images due to diffuse reflection caused by large crystals formed from release agents during heat fixing, leading to poor image quality, especially at increased image formation speeds.
Innovation Solution
A toner containing a polyalkylene as a release agent with controlled melt viscosity and melting temperature, which suppresses crystal growth and diffuse reflection, achieving a specific reflectance ratio (A/B) measured at different light-receiving angles to enhance glossiness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If image formation speed is increased, then productivity is improved, but glossiness deteriorates due to large crystal formation from release agents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the release agent by using polyalkylene with specifically controlled melt viscosity (1.0-12.0 Pa·s at melting point) and melting temperature (75-110°C). This parameter optimization prevents excessive crystal growth during rapid heat fixing, thereby maintaining glossiness even at high image formation speeds
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase transition properties of polyalkylene during heat fixing. By controlling the melting temperature and viscosity characteristics, the release agent undergoes controlled phase transition from solid to liquid and back, suppressing large crystal formation that would cause diffuse reflection and poor glossiness during high-speed operation
2Ease of operation
If release agent is used during heat fixing, then toner release is improved, but diffuse reflection increases causing poor glossiness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the melt viscosity parameter of the release agent to a specific range (1.0-12.0 Pa·s at melting point) that balances two opposing requirements: low enough viscosity to ensure easy toner release from the drum, but high enough to suppress excessive crystal growth that causes diffuse reflection. This precise parameter control resolves the contradiction between release ease and glossiness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs polyalkylene as a composite release agent material with specific molecular weight and branching characteristics. This composite structure provides both the necessary release properties and the crystal growth suppression capability, achieving a balance between toner release efficiency and image glossiness
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 a desired glossiness similar to metallic luster by suppressing diffuse reflection and maintaining image quality even at higher image formation speeds, with a preferred reflectance ratio of 20 to 90 and optimal polyalkylene properties.
Implementation Method 1
the release agent melted by applying heat exudes on the surface of the image. In this case, since the release agent on the surface of the image is rapidly cooled after the heat fixing, the release agent becomes crystallized on the surface of the image
Implementation Method 2
when a solid image formed by the toner is irradiated with incident light at an incident angle of −45° and a reflectance A at a light-receiving angle of +30° and a reflectance B at a light-receiving angle of −30° are measured
Data Source
AI summary
A toner contains a binder resin and a polyalkylene, wherein the following formula is satisfied:2≦A/B≦100where A represents a reflectance at a light-receiving angle of +30° and B represents a reflectance at a light-receiving angle of −30°, A and B being measured when a solid fixed image formed by the toner is irradiated with incident light at an incident angle of −45° using a goniophotometer.