Toner Particles with Surface Resin for Fixability and Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing toners face a trade-off between low temperature fixability and heat resistant storage stability, with materials having low melting points improving fixability but compromising storage stability.
Innovation Solution
A toner composition featuring toner particles with a toner base particle and resin particles on its surface, where the resin particles have a volume average primary particle diameter less than the distance between them, and the amount of methacrylic acid detected by pyrolysis gas chromatography is within a specific range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a material having a low melting point is used for the toner, then low temperature fixability is improved, but heat resistant storage stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The toner particles are segmented into a toner base particle and surface resin particles, with the resin particles having a specific size distribution (volume average primary particle diameter M ≤ 60 nm) and spacing (L-M < 30 nm) to create distinct functional zones that enable both low-temperature fixation and high-temperature storage stability
Solution Approach 2:
The toner uses a composite structure combining a toner base particle made from low melting point material (for fixability) with surface resin particles forming a protective shell (for storage stability), creating a multi-material system that achieves both contradictory properties simultaneously
2Manufacturing precision
If the particle size of the toner is reduced, then quality of output images is improved, but heat resistant storage stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A thin film shell formed by surface resin particles (with thickness controlled by particle diameter M and spacing L) protects the small core toner base particle, enabling both high image quality from small particle size and storage stability from the protective shell structure
Solution Approach 2:
The structure follows a nested configuration where small toner base particles are embedded within a protective shell of surface resin particles, allowing the inner core to provide image quality while the outer shell provides storage 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 achieves both high-level low temperature fixability and heat resistant storage stability, while also maintaining excellent cleanability.
Implementation Method 1
forming composite particles including resin particles on each surface of which fine resin particles including two resins within each fine resin particle as constitutional components are deposited
Implementation Method 2
the amount of methacrylic acid detected by pyrolysis gas chromatography is within a specific range
Implementation Method 3
detected by pyrolysis gas chromatography
Data Source
AI summary
A toner includes toner particles, each including: a toner base particle including a binder resin, a colorant, and wax; and resin particles on a surface of the toner base particle, wherein Formulae 1 to 3 below are satisfied, where M is a volume average primary particle diameter (nm) of the resin particles, and L is a distance (nm) between the resin particles present next to one another on the surface of the toner base particle:M<L; (Formula 1)5 (nm)<M≤60 (nm); and (Formula 2)0.40≤[M(nm)/L(nm)]<0.90. (Formula 3)