Toner Wax Compatibility and Crystallization Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current toners face challenges in achieving both low-temperature fixability and mechanical strength while maintaining temporal stability of image quality, as wax compatibility with binder resins can lead to reduced mechanical strength and image quality over time.
Innovation Solution
A toner formulation incorporating a styrene acrylic copolymer binder resin with a wax A that has high compatibility at 100°C, a specific melting point range, and a crystalline material, optimized for phase-separated crystallization to enhance low-temperature fixability and mechanical strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If wax is added to binder resin to improve low-temperature fixability, then low-temperature fixability is improved, but mechanical strength is lowered and image quality deteriorates over time
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the binder resin by specifying a styrene acrylic copolymer with particular proportions (styrene 30-70 mass%, acrylic 30-70 mass%) and molecular weight (5,000-50,000), while controlling wax content at 1-30 mass% to achieve optimal balance between low-temperature fixability and mechanical strength
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite material system combining binder resin and wax where the specific copolymer composition provides structural integrity while the wax (1-30 mass%) provides low-temperature melting properties, achieving synergistic effects that resolve the contradiction between mechanical strength and fixability
2Temperature
If wax with high compatibility with binder resin is used, then low-temperature fixability is improved, but temporal stability of image quality is lowered
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the compatibility parameter by selecting specific binder resin compositions (styrene acrylic copolymer with defined monomer ratios and molecular weight) that provide sufficient wax compatibility for low-temperature fixability while preventing excessive compatibility that would cause wax migration and image quality deterioration over time
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a standardized copolymer composition specification that replicates optimal performance characteristics, ensuring consistent temporal stability across different production batches by controlling the chemical structure parameters of the binder resin
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 improved low-temperature fixability, mechanical strength, and temporal stability of image quality by controlling the crystallization process and wax compatibility, reducing surface exposure and maintaining image quality over time.
Implementation Method 1
the wax melted and liquefied by heat becomes compatible with the binder resin
Implementation Method 2
the wax melted and liquefied by heat becomes compatible with the binder resin
Implementation Method 3
optimized for phase-separated crystallization to enhance low-temperature fixability and mechanical strength
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a toner having: a toner particle including a binder resin and a wax A, wherein the binder resin includes at least 50% by mass of a styrene acrylic copolymer in the binder resin, the melting point of the wax A is from 60.0° C. to 100.0° C., the wax A is compatible at 100° C. in an amount of at least 15.0 parts by mass with 100 parts by mass of a styrene-butyl acrylate copolymer, in DSC of the toner, where a peak temperature of a maximum exothermic peak derived from the wax A when cooling from 150° C. to 0° C. is performed at 1.0° C./min is denoted by Tc(1), and a peak temperature of a maximum exothermic peak derived from the wax A when cooling from 150° C. to 0° C. is performed at 20.0° C./min is denoted by Tc(20), 0.0° C.≤Tc(1)-Tc(20)≤7.0° C. is satisfied.