Production of Toner for Use in Printing Applications
First Claim
1. A process for producing a colored toner comprising the steps of:
- providing a polymer composition comprising at least one polymer wherein the at least one polymer has a softening temperature from about 60°
C. to about 160°
C.; and
a colorant;
forming an aqueous mineral suspension of at least one multivalent metal phosphate by contacting a water-soluble salt of the multivalent metal with an aqueous solution comprising;
a water-soluble phosphate salt; and
at least one crystal growth inhibitor selected from the group consisting of;
an organic polycarboxylic acid or a salt there of, a pyrophosphate salt, phosphonic acid or a salt thereof, citric acid, L-Serine, 1,2-dihydroxy-1,2-bis(dihydroxyphosphonyl)ethane, and a Zn2+ salt,to precipitate the at least one multivalent metal phosphate, wherein the pH of the aqueous mineral suspension is from 5.5 to 14;
forming a dispersion of the polymer composition by adding the polymer composition to the aqueous mineral suspension under agitation to form a solid portion comprising dispersed particles of the polymer composition, wherein the temperature of the aqueous mineral suspension during the dispersing step is at least about 70°
C.;
cooling the aqueous mineral suspension comprising the dispersed particles of the polymer composition to a temperature of from about 1°
C. to about 89°
C.;
washing the particles; and
recovering the particles.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a process for producing a colored toner comprising the steps of: providing a polymer composition comprising at least one polymer wherein the at least one polymer has a softening temperature from about 30° C. to about 160° C.; and a colorant; forming an aqueous mineral suspension of at least one multivalent metal phosphate by contacting a water-soluble salt of the multivalent metal with an aqueous solution comprising: a water-soluble phosphate salt; and at least one crystal growth inhibitor which controls the growth of the at least one multivalent metal phosphate, wherein the pH of the aqueous mineral suspension is from 5.5 to 14; and forming a dispersion of the polymer composition by adding the polymer composition to the aqueous mineral suspension under agitation to form a solid portion comprising dispersed particles of the polymer composition, wherein the temperature of the aqueous mineral suspension during the dispersing step is at least about 70° C.
66 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A process for producing a colored toner comprising the steps of:
-
providing a polymer composition comprising at least one polymer wherein the at least one polymer has a softening temperature from about 60°
C. to about 160°
C.; and
a colorant;forming an aqueous mineral suspension of at least one multivalent metal phosphate by contacting a water-soluble salt of the multivalent metal with an aqueous solution comprising; a water-soluble phosphate salt; and at least one crystal growth inhibitor selected from the group consisting of; an organic polycarboxylic acid or a salt there of, a pyrophosphate salt, phosphonic acid or a salt thereof, citric acid, L-Serine, 1,2-dihydroxy-1,2-bis(dihydroxyphosphonyl)ethane, and a Zn2+ salt, to precipitate the at least one multivalent metal phosphate, wherein the pH of the aqueous mineral suspension is from 5.5 to 14; forming a dispersion of the polymer composition by adding the polymer composition to the aqueous mineral suspension under agitation to form a solid portion comprising dispersed particles of the polymer composition, wherein the temperature of the aqueous mineral suspension during the dispersing step is at least about 70°
C.;cooling the aqueous mineral suspension comprising the dispersed particles of the polymer composition to a temperature of from about 1°
C. to about 89°
C.;washing the particles; and recovering the particles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27)
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26. A process for producing a colored toner comprising the steps of:
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providing a polymer composition comprising at least one polyester polymer having a softening temperature from about 30°
C. to about 160°
C.; and
a colorant;forming an aqueous mineral suspension of at least one of a calcium phosphate and a magnesium phosphate by contacting a water soluble salt of at least one of calcium or magnesium with an aqueous solution comprising; a water soluble phosphate salt; and at least one crystal growth inhibitor selected from the group consisting of;
an organic polycarboxylic acid or a salt there of, a pyrophosphate salt, phosphonic acid or a salt thereof, citric acid, L-Serine, 1,2-dihydroxy-1,2-bis(dihydroxyphosphonyl)ethane, and a Zn2+ salt,to precipitate the at least one of a calcium phosphate and a magnesium phosphate, wherein the pH of the aqueous mineral suspension is from 7 to 14; heating the at least one multivalent metal phosphate at a temperature of from about 90°
C. to about 100°
C. for from about 10 to about 20 minutes;dispersing the polymer composition by adding the polymer composition to the aqueous mineral suspension under agitation to form a solid portion comprising dispersed particles of the polymer composition, wherein the temperature of the aqueous mineral suspension during the dispersing step is at least about 70°
C.;cooling the aqueous mineral suspension comprising the dispersed particles of the polymer composition to a temperature of from about 1°
C. to about 89°
C.;washing the particles; and recovering the particles, wherein the volume average particle size of the particles is less than 12 μ
m, and particle size distribution is less than 1.4.
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Specification