Toner Surface Layer with Organic Silicon Polymer for Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current toners for electrostatic latent image development face challenges in maintaining high-definition image quality, durability, and environmental stability, particularly in varying temperature and humidity conditions, due to issues like bleeding of release agents and resin components, which affect charge stability and cause soiling of apparatus parts.
Innovation Solution
A toner with a surface layer containing an organic silicon polymer, specifically units represented by formulas (1) and (2), which improves hydrophobicity and bonding energy, enhancing development durability and environmental stability by controlling the ratio of peak areas in 29Si-NMR measurements and adjusting monomer types, reaction conditions, and silicon concentration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If inorganic fine particles are strongly fixed to toner particle surfaces to improve storage stability, then storage stability is improved, but bleeding of release agent and resin component occurs through gaps between particles and inorganic fine particles may detach due to deterioration of durability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite surface layer comprising both inorganic fine particles and organic silicon polymer. The inorganic particles provide storage stability through strong fixation, while the organic silicon polymer fills gaps between particles and forms a durable crosslinked network structure that prevents particle detachment and release agent bleeding, thus resolving the contradiction between storage stability and durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The organic silicon polymer is selectively applied as a surface layer coating the inorganic fine particles. This local application creates a differentiated structure where the inorganic particles provide core stability while the organic polymer layer provides surface durability and gap filling, preventing both bleeding and particle detachment simultaneously.
2Temperature
If a binder resin suitable for low temperature fixing is selected to achieve high-speed image formation, then low-temperature fixability is improved, but the influence on developing performance and durability is large and negative
Solution Approach 1:
The organic silicon polymer is applied specifically as a surface layer on the toner particles, creating a differentiated structure where the core binder resin maintains low-temperature fixability while the surface layer provides developing performance and durability. This local application isolates the conflicting functions to different regions of the toner particle.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite structure combines the binder resin (for low-temperature fixability) with organic silicon polymer (for developing performance and durability). The organic silicon polymer forms a crosslinked network that protects the toner particles from deterioration while maintaining the low-temperature fixing capability of the binder resin.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the surface of toner particle is covered with resin to address bleeding, then bleeding is suppressed, but the toner exhibits poor low-temperature fixability and high polarity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the surface layer by using organic silicon polymer with specific crosslinked structures (Q1-Q4 units). This parameter change allows the surface layer to suppress bleeding while maintaining appropriate polarity and low-temperature fixability, as the crosslinked structure provides both protective and functional properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The surface layer is formed as a composite of inorganic fine particles and organic silicon polymer. This composite structure suppresses bleeding through the physical barrier and crosslinked network, while the organic silicon polymer's specific properties maintain low-temperature fixability and control polarity, resolving the contradiction between bleeding suppression and fixing performance.
4Manufacturing precision
If silane coupling agent is added to prevent colorants and polar substances from becoming exposed, then charge amount distribution is improved, but the amount of precipitates and hydrolytic polycondensation are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the reaction parameters by using organic silicon polymer that undergoes crosslinked polymerization rather than simple silane coupling. This parameter change increases the amount of precipitates and hydrolytic polycondensation, forming a more robust surface layer that provides both precise charge amount distribution and superior environmental stability and development durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The surface layer is formed as a composite structure with crosslinked organic silicon polymer networks. This composite structure provides both the charge control benefits of silane coupling and the enhanced durability from crosslinked polymerization, resolving the contradiction between charge amount distribution and environmental stability.
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 exhibits improved environmental stability, low-temperature fixability, and reduced soiling of apparatus parts, maintaining high image quality and durability across diverse environments.
Implementation Method 1
the amount of precipitates of the silane compound on the toner particle surfaces and hydrolytic polycondensation are insufficient
Implementation Method 2
the degree of crosslinking is low
Implementation Method 3
A toner with a surface layer containing an organic silicon polymer, specifically units represented by formulas (1) and (2), which improves hydrophobicity and bonding energy
Implementation Method 4
controlling the ratio of peak areas in 29Si-NMR measurements
Data Source
AI summary
A toner having good development durability, storage stability, environmental stability, and low-temperature fixability is provided. The toner contains toner particles each including a surface layer that contains an organic silicon polymer. The organic silicon polymer contains a specific unit. In a chart obtained by 29Si-NMR measurement of THF insoluble components of the toner particles, the ratio of a peak area attributable to a specific structure to the total peak area of the organic silicon polymer is 0.40 or more.