Toner aggregation processes
First Claim
1. A process for the preparation of toner compositions consisting essentially of(i) preparing a pigment dispersion, which dispersion is comprised of a pigment, an ionic surfactant, ad optionally a charge control agent;
- (ii) shearing said pigment dispersion with a latex or emulsion blend comprised of resin, a counterionic surfactant with a charge polarity of opposite sign to that of said ionic surfactant, and a nonionic surfactant;
(iii) heating the above sheared blend below about the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the resin to form electrostatically bound toner size aggregates with a narrow particle size distribution;
(iv) subsequently adding further anionic or nonionic surfactant solution to minimize further growth in the coalescence (v); and
(v) heating said bound aggregates above about the Tg of the resin and wherein said heating is from a temperature of about 103°
to about 120°
C., and wherein said toner compositions are spherical in shape.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A process for the preparation of toner compositions consisting essentially of
(i) preparing a pigment dispersion, which dispersion is comprised of a pigment, an ionic surfactant, and optionally a charge control agent;
(ii) shearing said pigment dispersion with a latex or emulsion blend comprised of resin, a counterionic surfactant with a charge polarity of opposite sign to that of said ionic surfactant, and a nonionic surfactant;
(iii) heating the above sheared blend below about the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the resin to form electrostatically bound toner size aggregates with a narrow particle size distribution;
(iv) subsequently adding further anionic or nonionic surfactant solution to minimize further growth in the coalescence (v); and
(v) heating said bound aggregates above about the Tg of the resin and wherein said heating is from a temperature of about 103° to about 120° C., and wherein said toner compositions are spherical in shape.
439 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A process for the preparation of toner compositions consisting essentially of
(i) preparing a pigment dispersion, which dispersion is comprised of a pigment, an ionic surfactant, ad optionally a charge control agent; -
(ii) shearing said pigment dispersion with a latex or emulsion blend comprised of resin, a counterionic surfactant with a charge polarity of opposite sign to that of said ionic surfactant, and a nonionic surfactant; (iii) heating the above sheared blend below about the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the resin to form electrostatically bound toner size aggregates with a narrow particle size distribution; (iv) subsequently adding further anionic or nonionic surfactant solution to minimize further growth in the coalescence (v); and (v) heating said bound aggregates above about the Tg of the resin and wherein said heating is from a temperature of about 103°
to about 120°
C., and wherein said toner compositions are spherical in shape. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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11. A process in accordance with claim I wherein the dispersion of (i) is accomplished by an ultrasonic probe at from about 300 watts to about 900 watts of energy, at from about 5 to about 50 megahertz of amplitude, at a temperature of from about 25°
- C. to about 55°
C., and for a duration of from about 1 minute to about 120 minutes.
- C. to about 55°
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30. A process consisting essentially of
(i) preparing a pigment dispersion, which dispersion is comprised of a pigment, and an ionic surfactant; -
(ii) shearing said pigment dispersion with a latex or emulsion blend comprised of resin, a counterionic surfactant with a charge polarity of opposite sign to that of said ionic surfactant, and a nonionic surfactant; (iii) heating the above-sheared blend below about the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the resin to form electrostatically bound toner size aggregates with a narrow particle size distribution; (iv) subsequently adding further anionic or nonionic surfactant solution to minimize further growth of the electrostatically bound toner size aggregates in the coalescence (v); and (v) heating said bound aggregates above about the Tg of the resin and wherein said heating is from a temperature of about 103°
to about 119°
C., and wherein subsequent to cooling there is provided a toner spherical in shape.
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Specification