TONER COMPOSITIONS AND PROCESSES

• US 20110086303A1
• Filed: 10/09/2009
• Published: 04/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sacripante, Guerino G., Zwartz, Edward Graham, Moffat, Karen Ann, Zhou, Ke
• Granted Patent: US 8,257,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/105
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/0804 whereby the components are brought together in a liquid dispersing medium
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/0821 characterised by physical parameters magnetic parameters G03G9/083
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/0823 Electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/0827 characterised by their shape, e.g. degree of sphericity
• 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 9/0906 Organic dyes
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/0926 characterised by physical or chemical properties
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/09328 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/09335 Non-macromolecular organic compounds

Abstract

An emulsion aggregation toner composition includes toner particles including: an unsaturated polymeric resin, such as amorphous resins, crystalline resins, and combinations thereof; an optional colorant; an optional wax; an optional coagulant; and an IR absorber. The use of an IR absorber may permit formation of color toners that have uniform gloss and crease properties, i.e., the IR absorbers may prevent gloss and crease differences between color and black toners.

Claims

1. A toner comprising:

at least one amorphous resin;

at least one infrared absorber;

at least one crystalline resin;

an optional colorant; and

an optional wax,

wherein the at least one infrared absorber has a maximum absorption of light at wavelengths of from about 700 nm to about 850 nm.

2. The toner according to claim 1, wherein the toner comprises an emulsion aggregation toner and wherein particles comprising the toner further comprise a shell comprising at least one amorphous resin, optionally in combination with at least one infrared absorber.

3. The toner according to claim 1, wherein the amorphous resin comprises an amorphous polyester selected from the group consisting of poly(propoxylated bisphenol co-fumarate), poly(ethoxylated bisphenol co-fumarate), poly(butyloxylated bisphenol co-fumarate), poly(co-propoxylated bisphenol co-ethoxylated bisphenol co-fumarate), poly(1,2-propylene fumarate), poly(propoxylated bisphenol co-maleate), poly(ethoxylated bisphenol co-maleate), poly(butyloxylated bisphenol co-maleate), poly(co-propoxylated bisphenol co-ethoxylated bisphenol co-maleate), poly(1,2-propylene maleate), poly(propoxylated bisphenol co-itaconate), poly(ethoxylated bisphenol co-itaconate), poly(butyloxylated bisphenol co-itaconate), poly(co-propoxylated bisphenol co-ethoxylated bisphenol co-itaconate), poly(1,2-propylene itaconate), and combinations thereof.

4. The toner according to claim 1, wherein the crystalline resin is selected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene-adipate), poly(propylene-adipate), poly(butylene-adipate), poly(pentylene-adipate), poly(hexylene-adipate), poly(octylene-adipate), poly(ethylene-succinate), polypropylene-succinate), poly(butylene-succinate), poly(pentylene-succinate), poly(hexylene-succinate), poly(octylene-succinate), poly(ethylene-sebacate), poly(propylene-sebacate), poly(butylene-sebacate), poly(pentylene-sebacate), poly(hexylene-sebacate), poly(octylene-sebacate), alkali copoly(5-sulfoisophthaloyl)-copoly(ethylene-adipate), poly(decylene-sebacate), poly(decylene-decanoate), poly(ethylene-decanoate), poly(ethylene-dodecanoate), poly(nonylene-sebacate), poly(nonylene-decanoate), copoly(ethylene-fumarate)-copoly(ethylene-sebacate), copoly(ethylene-fumarate)-copoly(ethylene-decanoate), copoly(ethylene-fumarate)-copoly(ethylene-dodecanoate), and combinations thereof.

5. The toner according to claim 1, wherein the optional colorant comprises dyes, pigments, combinations of dyes, combinations of pigments, and combinations of dyes and pigments in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 35 percent by weight of the toner, and wherein the optional wax is selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, carnauba wax, rice wax, candelilla wax, sumacs wax, jojoba oil, beeswax, montan wax, ozokerite, ceresin, paraffin wax, microcrystalline wax, Fischer-Tropsch wax, stearyl stearate, behenyl behenate, butyl stearate, propyl oleate, glyceride monostearate, glyceride distearate, pentaerythritol tetra behenate, diethyleneglycol monostearate, dipropyleneglycol distearate, diglyceryl distearate, triglyceryl tetrastearate, sorbitan monostearate, cholesteryl stearate, and combinations thereof, present in an amount from about 1 weight percent to about 25 weight percent of the toner.

6. The toner according to claim 1, wherein the infrared absorber is selected from the group consisting of cyanines, platinum containing dyes, and combinations thereof, having no absorption of light at wavelengths of from about 380 nm to about 700 nm, and wherein the toner is for use in non-contact fixing.

7. The toner according to claim 1, wherein particles comprising the toner are from about 2.75 microns to about 10 microns in diameter, and possess a circularity of from about 0.93 to about 0.99.

8. The toner according to claim 1, wherein the toner possesses a gloss of from about 20 ggu to about 100 ggu, and a parent toner charge per mass ratio of from about −

10 μ

C/g to about −

40 μ

C/g.

9. A toner comprising:

at least one amorphous polyester resin;

at least one infrared absorber;

at least one crystalline polyester resin;

an optional colorant; and

an optional wax,

wherein the at least one infrared absorber has a maximum absorption of light at wavelengths of from about 700 nm to about 850 nm and does not absorb light at wavelengths of from about 380 nm to about 700 nm.

10. The toner according to claim 9, wherein particles comprising the toner further comprise a shell comprising at least one amorphous polyester resin, optionally in combination with at least one infrared absorber.

11. The toner according to claim 9, wherein the amorphous polyester is of the formula:

12. The toner according to claim 9, wherein the crystalline polyester resin is of the formula:

13. The toner according to claim 9, wherein the optional colorant comprises dyes, pigments, combinations of dyes, combinations of pigments, and combinations of dyes and pigments in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 35 percent by weight of the toner, and wherein the optional wax is selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, carnauba wax, rice wax, candelilla wax, sumacs wax, jojoba oil, beeswax, montan wax, ozokerite, ceresin, paraffin wax, microcrystalline wax, Fischer-Tropsch wax, stearyl stearate, behenyl behenate, butyl stearate, propyl oleate, glyceride monostearate, glyceride distearate, pentaerythritol tetra behenate, diethyleneglycol monostearate, dipropyleneglycol distearate, diglyceryl distearate, triglyceryl tetrastearate, sorbitan monostearate, cholesteryl stearate, and combinations thereof, present in an amount from about 1 weight percent to about 25 weight percent of the toner.

14. The toner according to claim 9, wherein the infrared absorber is selected from the group consisting of

15. The toner according to claim 9, wherein particles comprising the toner are from about 2.75 microns to about 10 microns in diameter, and possess a circularity of from about 0.93 to about 0.99.

16. The toner according to claim 9, wherein the toner possesses a gloss of from about 20 ggu to about 100 ggu, and a parent toner charge per mass ratio of from about −

10 μ

C/g to about 40 μ

C/g.

17. A printing apparatus, comprising:

at least one heating device;

a toner source;

an optional contact fuser;

a non-contact fuser comprising a source of infrared light operating at a wavelength of from about 750 nm to about 2500 nm;

a substrate pre-heater;

an image bearing member pre-heater; and

a transfuser,

wherein the toner comprises at least one amorphous polyester resin, at least one infrared absorber, at least one crystalline polyester resin, an optional colorant and an optional wax, and

wherein the at least one infrared absorber has a maximum absorption of light at wavelengths of from about 700 nm to about 850 nm and does not absorb light at wavelengths of from about 380 nm to about 700 nm.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein particles comprising the toner further comprise a shell comprising at least one amorphous polyester resin, optionally in combination with at least one infrared absorber.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the infrared absorber is selected from the group consisting of

20. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the images are exposed to the source of infrared light for a period of time of from about 5 milliseconds to about 2 seconds.