Toner Composition Surface Distribution for Fixability and Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current toners face a trade-off between low-temperature fixability and heat-resistant storage stability, with existing solutions either compromising on one or the other, and struggling to achieve both while maintaining image gloss and cleanability.
Innovation Solution
A toner composition featuring toner base particles with a binder resin and release agent, where the intensity ratio of the release agent to the binder resin is controlled between 0.10 and 0.30, and the standard deviation of resin particle distances on the surface is between 150 nm and 500 nm, optimizing the distribution of crystalline polyester and release agent to enhance fixability and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a low-melting-point material is used in the toner to improve low-temperature fixability, then the toner can be fixed at lower temperatures reducing energy consumption, but the heat-resistant storage stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by creating a toner surface with non-crystalline polyester having different thermal properties from the core crystalline polyester. The non-crystalline polyester layer on the surface provides low-temperature fixability while the crystalline polyester core maintains heat-resistant storage stability, thus resolving the contradiction between low-temperature fixability and heat-resistant storage stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite materials by combining crystalline polyester and non-crystalline polyester in a specific configuration where crystalline polyester forms the core and non-crystalline polyester forms the surface layer. This composite structure allows the toner to exhibit both low-temperature fixability (from non-crystalline polyester) and heat-resistant storage stability (from crystalline polyester).
2Temperature
If the release agent content is increased to improve low-temperature fixability, then the toner can be fixed more easily at low temperatures, but the image gloss deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by concentrating the release agent in the non-crystalline polyester surface layer rather than uniformly distributing it throughout the entire toner particle. This localized placement allows the release agent to function effectively for low-temperature fixability while preventing excessive release agent on the surface from degrading image gloss.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses parameter changes by optimizing the molecular weight and composition of the non-crystalline polyester to control the amount and distribution of release agent. By adjusting the molecular weight of non-crystalline polyester to be lower than crystalline polyester, the release agent is effectively controlled in the surface layer, achieving both low-temperature fixability and acceptable image gloss.
3Reliability
If the crystalline polyester surface coverage is increased to improve heat-resistant storage stability, then the toner maintains stability under high-temperature conditions, but the low-temperature fixability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by creating a differentiated structure where crystalline polyester forms the core providing heat-resistant storage stability, while non-crystalline polyester forms the surface layer providing low-temperature fixability. This spatial differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between heat-resistant storage stability and low-temperature fixability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite materials with a core-shell structure where the core consists of crystalline polyester and the shell consists of non-crystalline polyester. This composite structure allows the crystalline core to provide heat-resistant storage stability while the non-crystalline shell provides low-temperature fixability, effectively resolving the contradiction.
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 high levels of low-temperature fixability, heat-resistant storage stability, and image gloss, while ensuring good cleanability by controlling the surface distribution of release agent and crystalline polyester, preventing material exposure and maintaining heat conduction.
Implementation Method 1
a first resin component, and a second resin component, in each of which a glass transition temperature determined by a differential scanning calorimetry is different from each other
Implementation Method 2
maintaining heat conduction
Data Source
AI summary
A toner includes toner base particles each containing a binder resin and a release agent, and resin particles on a surface of each of the toner base particles. A ratio (Iw/Ir) is 0.10 or more and 0.30 or less, where Ir is a peak height of the binder resin and Iw is a peak height of the release agent, as measured through attenuated total reflection (ATR). A standard deviation σ (nm) of distances L (nm) between the resin particles that are adjacent to each other on the surface of each of the toner base particles is 150 nm or more and 500 nm or less.