Toner Particle with Polybutadiene Coating for Charging Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Toner particles face challenges in maintaining stable charging performance across humidity environments and achieving low-temperature fixability without compromising image quality or fixing strength on paper.
Innovation Solution
A toner particle with a binder resin and wax core coated with a 1,2-polybutadiene resin layer, ensuring at least 50% coverage, which enhances charging stability and low-temperature fixability by controlling moisture absorption and charge release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a crystalline polyester with low melt viscosity is used in the core to achieve sharp-melt property and excellent low-temperature fixability, then low-temperature fixability is improved, but charging stability deteriorates due to moisture absorption from polar groups
Solution Approach 1:
The toner particle is divided into a core portion containing crystalline polyester for low-temperature fixability and a shell portion containing polybutadiene thermoplastic elastomer for charging stability. This segmentation allows each region to perform its specialized function without interference, resolving the contradiction between low-temperature fixability and charging stability
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the toner particle are assigned different material compositions: the core uses crystalline polyester with polar groups optimized for low-temperature melting, while the shell uses polybutadiene thermoplastic elastomer with low hygroscopicity optimized for charge retention. Each local region has quality tailored to its specific function
2Reliability
If a polybutadiene thermoplastic elastomer is used as binder resin to improve charging stability and low-temperature fixability, then charging stability is improved, but fixing strength and glossiness deteriorate due to poor adhesiveness from lack of polar groups
Solution Approach 1:
The toner structure segments the functions of charging stability and fixing strength into different regions: the polybutadiene thermoplastic elastomer in the shell provides charging stability, while the crystalline polyester in the core provides fixing strength through its polar groups and adhesion properties
Solution Approach 2:
The toner uses a composite structure combining polybutadiene thermoplastic elastomer and crystalline polyester in specific proportions and arrangements. This composite material approach allows the toner to exhibit both the charging stability of polybutadiene and the fixing strength of crystalline polyester simultaneously
3Illumination intensity
If a cyclic polyolefin resin coating layer is applied to improve glossiness and image quality, then image quality is improved, but charging stability deteriorates in low-humidity environments due to charge release difficulty from non-polar surface
Solution Approach 1:
The toner structure segments the surface coating function from the bulk composition: the shell portion uses polybutadiene thermoplastic elastomer as the primary charging-stability-providing layer, while the cyclic polyolefin resin is applied as a thin outer coating solely for glossiness enhancement, minimizing its negative impact on charge release
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameters of the cyclic polyolefin resin coating, specifically controlling its thickness to be very thin (0.01-2.0 μm) and its content to be limited (1-50 parts per 100 parts of polybutadiene thermoplastic elastomer). These parameter changes allow the coating to provide glossiness while minimizing its barrier effect on charge release
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 provides stable charging performance in both high-humidity and low-humidity environments while maintaining excellent low-temperature fixability and image quality with improved fixing strength and glossiness.
Implementation Method 1
the polybutadiene thermoplastic elastomer also provides good charging stability in high-humidity environments because it has low hygroscopicity
Implementation Method 2
stable charging performance in both high-humidity and low-humidity environments
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a toner including a toner particle that contains a toner base particle containing a binder resin and a wax, and a coating layer containing a 1,2-polybutadiene resin at the surface of the toner base particle, wherein the coverage ratio of the toner base particle by the coating layer is at least 50%.