Aqueous dispersions for use as toners

• US 20070243481A1
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC (Dow, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dow Global Technologies, Inc. (Dow, Inc.)
• Inventors: Klier, John, Varjian, Richard, Hill, Alastair
• Granted Patent: US 8,007,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/111.350
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 11/00 Use of ingredients of unknown constitution, e.g. undefined reaction products
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/005 Stabilisers against oxidation, heat, light, ozone
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 25/14 with unsaturated esters
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/02 Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 33/06 of esters containing only carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, which oxygen atoms are present only as part of the carboxyl radical
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/02 Polyesters derived from dicarboxylic acids and dihydroxy compounds C08L67/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/08 with toner particles
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/0806 whereby chemical synthesis of at least one of the toner components takes place
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/081 by mixing the toner components in a liquefied state; melt kneading; reactive mixing
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/0815 Post-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/0831 Chemical composition of the magnetic components
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/0832 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/0833 Oxides
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/08708 Copolymers of styrene
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/08711 with esters of acrylic or methacrylic acid
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/08726 Polymers of unsaturated acids or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/08733 Polymers of unsaturated polycarboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/08755 Polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/08795 characterised by their chemical properties, e.g. acidity, molecular weight, sensitivity to reactants
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/08797 characterised by their physical properties, e.g. viscosity, solubility, melting temperature, softening temperature, glass transition temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/09 : Colouring agents for toner particles
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/0926 : characterised by physical or chemical properties
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/09708 : Inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/09716 : treated with organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/09725 : Silicon-oxides; Silicates

Abstract

A compound that includes an aqueous dispersion, wherein the dispersion includes a thermoplastic resin and at least one stabilizing agent, and at least one selected from the group consisting of a colorant and a magnetic pigment, wherein the dispersion has an average volume diameter particle size from about 0.05 to about 10 microns is described.

Claims

1. A compound comprising:

an aqueous dispersion, the dispersion comprising;

(A) a thermoplastic resin; and

(B) at least one stabilizing agent; and

at least one selected from the group consisting of a colorant, and a magnetic pigment, wherein the dispersion has an average volume diameter particle size from about 0.05 to about 10 microns.

2. The compound of claim 1, further comprising at least one of auxiliary fine particles, a charge control agent, a lubricant, and a polishing agent.

3. The compound of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic resin is at least one selected from the group consisting of homopolymers and copolymers (including elastomers) of an alpha-olefin, copolymers (including elastomers) of an alpha-olefin with a conjugated or non-conjugated diene, ethylene-vinyl compound copolymers, styrenic copolymers, styrene block copolymers (including elastomers), polyvinyl compounds, polymethyl acrylate, and polymethyl methacrylate, polyamides, thermoplastic polyesters, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, and polyphenylene oxide.

4. The compound of claim 3, wherein the thermoplastic resin is at least one of polyesters, styrene copolymers, ethylene-propylene copolymers, and dicyclopentadiene polymers.

5. The compound of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic resin comprises an ethylene-based homopolymer, copolymer, interpolymer, or multi-block interpolymer, a propylene-based homopolymer, copolymer, interpolymer, or multi-block interpolymer, or combinations thereof.

6. The compound of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic resin comprises at least one polyester formed by reacting an aliphatic diol with a diacid.

7. The compound of claim 6, wherein the aliphatic diol comprises at least one of ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, a butane diol, a pentane diol, a hexane diol, a decane diol, and a dodecane diol.

8. The compound of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic resin comprises at least one styrene-based homopolymer, copolymer, terpolymers or polynary copolymer.

9. The compound of claim 8, wherein the styrene based polymer is selected from the group consisting of styrene methylacrylate copolymers, styrene ethylacrylate copolymers, styrene-n-butyl acrylate copolymers, styrene-methylmethacrylate copolymers, styrene-ethylmethacrylate copolymers, styrene-n-butylmethacrylate copolymer, and polynary copolymers of styrene, acrylate and methacrylate.

10. The compound of claim 1, wherein components A and B together are present in an amount of 45-99% by weight.

11. The compound of claim 1, wherein the colorant is present in an amount greater than 0% to about 30% by weight.

12. The compound of claim 1, wherein the magnetic pigment is present in an amount from greater than about 0% to about 50% by weight.

13. The compound of claim 1, wherein the dispersion has an average volume diameter particle size from about 0.05 to about 8.0 microns.

14. The compound of claim 13, wherein the dispersion has an average volume diameter particle size from about 0.1 to about 6.0 microns.

15. A toner formed from the compound of claim 1.

16. A cartridge or process cartridge comprising the toner of claim 15.

17. An image forming device for use with the process cartridge of claim 16.

18. A method for forming a toner, the method comprising:

forming a compound, the compound comprising;

an aqueous dispersion comprising;

a thermoplastic resin;

wherein the dispersion has an

average volume diameter particle size from about 0.05 to about 10 microns; and

at least one selected from the group consisting of a colorant, and a magnetic pigment; and

removing at least a portion of the water in the dispersion to form toner particles.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the forming the compound comprises melt kneading and dispersing the thermoplastic resin and optionally additional components in an extruder.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the forming the compound comprises:

melt kneading the thermoplastic resin and optionally additional compounds in a melt kneader to form a resin melt; and

dispersing the resin melt in an aqueous phase.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the thermoplastic resin is a self-stabilizing resin.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the dispersion further comprises a neutralizing agent.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the dispersion further comprises a stabilizing agent.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the dispersion further comprises a stabilizing agent.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising post-treating the toner particles.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the removing comprises spray-drying the compound.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the compound further comprises at least one of auxiliary fine particles, a charge control agent, a lubricant, and a polishing agent.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein the thermoplastic resin is at least one selected from the group consisting of homopolymers and copolymers (including elastomers) of an alpha-olefin, copolymers (including elastomers) of an alpha-olefin with a conjugated or non-conjugated diene, ethylene-vinyl compound copolymers, styrenic copolymers, styrene block copolymers (including elastomers), polyvinyl compounds, polymethyl acrylate, and polymethyl methacrylate, polyamides, thermoplastic polyesters, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, and polyphenylene oxide.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the thermoplastic resin is at least one of polyesters, styrene copolymers, ethylene-propylene copolymers, and dicyclopentadiene polymers.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein the thermoplastic resin comprises an ethylene-based homopolymer, copolymer, interpolymer, or multi-block interpolymer, a propylene-based homopolymer, copolymer, interpolymer, or multi-block interpolymer, or combinations thereof.

31. The method of claim 18, wherein the thermoplastic resin comprises at least one polyester formed by reacting an aliphatic diol with a diacid.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the aliphatic diol comprises at least one of ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, a butane diol, a pentane diol, a hexane diol, a decane diol, and a dodecane diol.

33. The method of claim 18, wherein the thermoplastic resin comprises at least one styrene-based homopolymer, copolymer, terpolymers or polynary copolymer.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the styrene based polymer is selected from the group consisting of styrene methylacrylate copolymers, styrene ethylacrylate copolymers, styrene-n-butyl acrylate copolymers, styrene-methylmethacrylate copolymers, styrene-ethylmethacrylate copolymers, styrene-n-butylmethacrylate copolymer, and polynary copolymers of styrene, acrylate and methacrylate.

35. The method of claim 18, wherein the thermoplastic resin and any stabilizing agent together are present in an amount of 45-99% by weight.

36. The method of claim 18, wherein the colorant is present in an amount greater than 0% to about 30% by weight.

37. The method of claim 18, wherein the magnetic pigment is present in an amount from greater than about 0% to about 50% by weight.

38. The method of claim 18, wherein the dispersion has an average volume diameter particle size from about 0.05 to about 8.0 microns.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the dispersion has an average volume diameter particle size from about 0.1 to about 6.0 microns.

40. A method of using the toner formed in claim 18, the method comprising:

disposing the toner formed in claim 18 in a process cartridge.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising attaching the process cartridge to an image forming device.