Toner Manufacturing via Silicon Condensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing toners face issues with fine particle release during prolonged printing, affecting transferability and adhesiveness, as well as reduced flowability and thermal resistance due to the detachment of fine particles from the toner surface.
Innovation Solution
A method of manufacturing toners involving a silicon compound represented by Formula (1) is used to create a mixed solution with fine particles and toner base particles, adjusting the pH to 7.0 or more and 12.0 or less to condense the silicon compound, ensuring the fine particles are firmly fixed to the toner surface, reducing their release and enhancing adhesiveness and transferability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If resin fine particles are embedded on the surface of toner particles to improve thermal resistance, then thermal resistance is improved, but transferability may be deteriorated and fine particles are released during prolonged printing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure consisting of toner base particles with resin fine particles embedded on the surface, forming a multi-component system that combines the thermal resistance benefits of resin particles with the transferability advantages of the toner base material
Solution Approach 2:
The resin fine particles are selectively embedded on the surface of the toner particles rather than throughout the entire particle, providing localized thermal resistance enhancement while maintaining the overall transferability characteristics of the toner base particles
2Object-generated harmful factors
If inorganic fine particles are added to decrease adhesiveness, then adhesiveness is reduced, but fine particles are difficult to attach to convex portions and adhesiveness is not sufficiently decreased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an aqueous slurry as an intermediary medium to facilitate the attachment of inorganic fine particles to the toner particle surface, enabling uniform distribution and effective attachment that directly addresses the adhesiveness issue
3Strength
If organic fine particles are attached on the surface of toner base particles to improve adhesion, then adhesion to developing sleeve is improved, but image concentration is reduced after printing large number of sheets due to particle embedding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the particle size parameters of the inorganic fine particles (3 nm to 500 nm) and controls their concentration in the aqueous slurry to achieve the right balance between adhesion improvement and maintaining image concentration during prolonged printing
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 method effectively prevents fine particle release and improves toner adhesiveness and transferability, maintaining printing quality even after printing a large number of sheets by firmly embedding the fine particles within the toner base particles.
Implementation Method 1
adjusting a pH of the mixed solution to 7.0 or more and 12.0 or less to condense the silicon compound
Implementation Method 2
the fine particles are firmly fixed to the surface of the toner base particles
Implementation Method 3
preparing a mixed solution including the following components i) a silicon compound represented by Formula (1)... in an aqueous medium
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a method of manufacturing a toner including a toner particle containing a binder resin, the method including:process 1: preparing a mixed solution including the following components i) to iii) in an aqueous medium:i) a particular silicon compound,ii) a fine particle having a number average particle diameter of 3 nm or more and 500 nm or less, andiii) a toner base particle containing the binder resin; andprocess 2: adjusting a pH of the mixed solution to 7.0 or more and 12.0 or less to condense the silicon compound,wherein the fine particle has an absolute value of zeta potential of 10.0 mV or more at the pH of the mixed solution of process 1.