Toner Wax Composite for Fixability and Peelability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional toners for electrophotography face challenges with low fixability, peelability, shelf stability, and printing durability, especially under high temperature conditions, and have issues with thin line reproducibility and toner aggregation.
Innovation Solution
A toner composition incorporating natural sunflower wax with specific acid value and melting point properties, combined with petroleum wax and synthetic ester wax, is used to enhance fixability, peelability, shelf stability, and printing durability, while maintaining low-temperature fixability and preventing aggregation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a toner composition is designed to provide a low fixing temperature, then printing speed increases and power consumption decreases, but toner aggregation occurs and blocking resistance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite wax system combining natural sunflower wax (40-70 wt%) with specific melting point (70-85°C) and synthetic ester wax (30-60 wt%) with lower melting point (60-75°C). This composite approach allows the toner to maintain structural integrity at storage temperatures (preventing aggregation) while achieving adequate melt flow at fixing temperatures, thus resolving the contradiction between low fixing temperature and blocking resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent precisely controls the acid value of natural sunflower wax at 8-12 mg KOH/g and maintains a specific melting point range of 70-85°C. These parameter optimizations ensure the wax provides appropriate viscosity and flow characteristics during fixing while maintaining stability during storage, thereby achieving both low fixing temperature and high blocking resistance
2Use of energy by stationary object
If a toner composition is designed to provide a low fixing temperature, then power consumption decreases, but peelability from the fixing roller decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The combination of natural sunflower wax with moderate melting point (70-85°C) and synthetic ester wax with lower melting point (60-75°C) creates a dual-phase system. The synthetic ester wax provides early melt initiation for energy-efficient fixing, while the natural sunflower wax maintains adequate adhesion strength and controlled release properties, ensuring good peelability despite reduced fixing temperature
Solution Approach 2:
By optimizing the acid value of natural sunflower wax to 8-12 mg KOH/g, the patent achieves balanced surface properties that enhance adhesion to the fixing roller during low-temperature fixing while maintaining sufficient release characteristics for easy peeling, thus resolving the contradiction between power consumption and peelability
3Quantity of substance
If conventional natural waxes or petroleum waxes are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but printing durability and thin line reproducibility decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies precise parameter ranges for natural sunflower wax: acid value of 8-12 mg KOH/g and melting point of 70-85°C. These controlled parameters ensure optimal balance between flow characteristics for thin line reproduction and stability for printing durability, outperforming conventional waxes with less controlled specifications
Solution Approach 2:
The synergistic combination of natural sunflower wax (40-70 wt%) and synthetic ester wax (30-60 wt%) creates a composite system where the natural wax provides durability and the synthetic component enhances flow and reproduction quality, achieving superior overall performance compared to single-wax conventional toners
4Duration of action of stationary object
If the toner is left at high temperature for long-term storage, then shelf stability decreases, but printing durability is required to be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the melting point of natural sunflower wax at 70-85°C, which is high enough to maintain structural stability during high-temperature storage, preventing toner aggregation and degradation. This parameter optimization ensures printing durability is maintained even after prolonged exposure to elevated storage temperatures
Solution Approach 2:
The composite wax system combines the thermal stability of natural sunflower wax (higher melting point 70-85°C) with the flow properties of synthetic ester wax (lower melting point 60-75°C). During high-temperature storage, the natural sunflower wax maintains structural integrity, while the synthetic component prevents excessive hardening, thus preserving printing durability after storage
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 fixability, peelability, shelf stability, and printing durability, including at high temperatures, with enhanced thin line reproducibility and reduced aggregation, outperforming conventional toners using other natural waxes or petroleum and synthetic ester waxes alone.
Implementation Method 1
a wax is contained in toner particles to lower the fixing temperature of a toner
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is to provide a toner for developing electrostatic images having excellent fixability, peelability, shelf stability (blocking resistance), printing durability, printing durability after being left at high temperature and thin line reproducibility. A toner for developing electrostatic images, comprising colored resin particles comprising a binder resin, a colorant and a wax, wherein the wax contains a natural sunflower wax, and wherein the natural sunflower wax has an acid value of 10 mg KOH/g or less, and a content of the natural sunflower wax is in the range from 1 to 10 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the binder resin.