Toner with Controlled Viscoelastic Modulus for Low-Temperature Fixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Toner used in high-speed electrophotographic processes faces challenges with cleaning performance and storage stability at high temperatures, requiring improved low-temperature fixability and high-temperature storage stability.
Innovation Solution
A toner with specific dynamic viscoelastic properties, characterized by a loss elastic modulus that satisfies certain equations within defined temperature ranges, ensuring maintained cleaning performance and storage stability while allowing low-temperature fixing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a toner uses a binder resin with low glass-transition temperature to achieve low-temperature fixability, then fixing temperature is reduced, but storage stability at high temperatures deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the viscoelastic parameters of the binder resin by controlling the loss elastic modulus G'' at specific temperatures. By setting G''(50°C) ≤ 1.0×10^8 Pa and G''(80°C) ≥ 1.0×10^7 Pa, the toner achieves low-temperature fixability while maintaining high-temperature storage stability through precise parameter optimization rather than simply changing material composition
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes the phase transition behavior of the binder resin around its glass-transition temperature. By designing the loss elastic modulus characteristics at specific temperatures (50°C and 80°C), the toner exploits the phase transition properties to achieve softness at fixing temperature for low-temperature fixing, while maintaining structural stability at storage temperature
2Productivity
If image-forming speed is increased, then productivity is improved, but cleaning performance at high temperatures deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the viscoelastic parameters of the toner, specifically the loss elastic modulus at different temperatures, to maintain appropriate toner hardness even at elevated temperatures during high-speed operation. This parameter optimization ensures that the toner particles remain cleanable by the cleaning blade while enabling faster image-forming speeds
3Productivity
If a toner is designed for high-speed electrophotographic processes, then productivity is improved, but low-temperature fixability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention simultaneously optimizes multiple viscoelastic parameters (G'' at 50°C and G'' at 80°C) to achieve a balance between high-speed operation capability and low-temperature fixability. The controlled loss elastic modulus characteristics enable the toner to maintain appropriate mechanical properties for both high-speed processing and low-temperature fixing
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 maintains cleaning performance at high temperatures and exhibits excellent storage stability, achieving low-temperature fixability even in high-speed electrophotographic processes.
Implementation Method 1
when dynamic viscoelastic properties of the toner are measured in a temperature range from at least 30°C to not more than 200°C, i) with Tp [°C] being a temperature at which a loss elastic modulus exhibits the maximum value
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a toner that is capable of low- temperature fixing even in high-speed electrophotographic processes while keeping the cleaning performance when used at high te.mperatures and the high-temperature storage stability. This toner having toner particles, each of which contains a binder resin and a colorant is characterized in that the temperature of Tp [°C] when the loss elastic modulus obtained by dynamic viscoelastic measurements on the toner exhibits a maximum value in the temperature range from at least 30°C to not more than 200°C, is from at least 40°C to not more than 55°C, and in that, with G"(Tp) [Pa] being this maximum value, G"(Tp + 15) [Pa] being the loss elastic modulus at the temperature of Tp + 15 [°C], and G"(Tp + 30) [Pa] being the loss elastic modulus at the temperature of Tp + 30 [°C], G"(Tp), G"(Tp + 15), and G"(Tp + 30) satisfy prescribed relationships.