Magnetic carrier particles

• US 6,232,026 B1
• Filed: 05/17/2000
• Issued: 05/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Midwest Athletics and Sports Alliance LLC (Midwest Youth A&S, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Heidelberg Digital LLC (Eastman Kodak Company)
• Inventors: Lambert, Patrick M.
• Primary Examiner(s): GOODROW, JOHN L
• Application Number:
  US09/572,988
• Time in Patent Office: 363 Days
• Field of Search: 252/62.63, 430/108, 430/106.6, 430/122
• US Class Current: 430/111.33
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/1075 Structural characteristics of the carrier particles, e.g. shape or crystallographic structure
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/1085 with non-ferrous metal oxide, e.g. MgO-Fe2O3
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 9/1088 Binder-type carrier

Abstract

Conductive hard magnetic carrier particles are disclosed which contain a single-phase hexagonal crystal structure doped with at least one metal that, upon substitution of said metal into said crystal structure, produces a multi-valent ion of the formula Mⁿ⁺, wherein n=4, 5, or 6. The carrier particles are useful in making developers for the development of electrostatic latent image patterns in an electrographic process. Also disclosed are methods for using such carrier particles in an electrographic process. Such carriers can display levels of conductivity such that the development efficiency, i.e., speed, of an electrographic process is improved.

Claims

1. Carrier particles for use in the development of electrostatic latent images which comprise a hard magnetic material having a single-phase hexagonal crystal structure doped with at least one metal that, upon substitution of said metal into said crystal structure, produces a multi-valent ion of the formula Mⁿ⁺, wherein n is an integer of at least 4.

2. The carrier particles of claim 1 which exhibit a coercivity of at least about 300 Oersteds when magnetically saturated and an induced magnetic moment of at least about 20 EMU/μ

m of carrier in an applied field of 1000 Oersteds.

3. The carrier particles of claim 1 which are surface coated with a resin layer.

4. The carrier particles of claim 3 wherein the layer is discontinuous.

5. The carrier particles of claim 3 wherein the resin is a mixture of polyvinylidene fluoride and polymethylmethacrylate.

6. The carrier particles of claim 3 wherein the resin is a silicone resin.

7. The carrier particles of claim 1 wherein the hard magnetic material is a hard magnetic ferrite selected from the group consisting of strontium ferrite, barium ferrite or lead ferrite.

8. The carrier particles of claim 1 wherein the hard magnetic material is strontium ferrite.

9. The carrier particles of claim 1 wherein n is 4 or 5.

10. The carrier particles of claim 1 wherein n is 4.

11. The carrier particles of claim 1 wherein the at least one metal is selected from the group consisting of antimony, arsenic, germanium, hafnium, molybdenum, niobium, silicon, tantalum, tellurium, tin, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, zirconium, and mixtures thereof.

12. The carrier particles of claim 1 wherein the at least one metal is selected from the group consisting of silicon, zirconium, tin, titanium, and mixtures thereof.

13. The carrier particles of claim 1 wherein the at least one metal is present in an amount of up to about 10 wt % based on total weight of the carrier particles.

14. A method for developing an electrostatic image comprising contacting the image with a two-component dry developer composition comprising charged toner particles and oppositely charged carrier particles according to claim 1.

15. Carrier particles for use in the development of electrostatic latent images that comprise a hard magnetic ferrite material having a single-phase hexagonal crystal structure and represented by the formula:

16. The carrier particles of claim 15 which exhibit a coercivity of at least about 300 Oersteds when magnetically saturated and an induced magnetic moment of at least about 20 EMU/μ

m of carrier in an applied field of 1000 Oersteds.

17. The carrier particles of claim 15 which are surface coated with a resin layer.

18. The carrier particles of claim 17 wherein the layer is discontinuous.

19. The carrier particles of claim 17 wherein the resin is a mixture of polyvinylidene fluoride and polymethylmethacrylate.

20. The carrier particles of claim 17 wherein the resin is a silicone resin.

21. The carrier particles of claim 15 wherein P is strontium.

22. The carrier particles of claim 15 wherein x is less than about 0.3.

23. The carrier particles of claim 15 wherein the at least one metal is selected from the group consisting of silicon, zirconium, tin, titanium, and mixtures thereof.

24. A method for developing an electrostatic image comprising contacting the image with a two-component dry developer composition comprising charged toner particles and oppositely charged carrier particles according to claim 15.

25. An electrostatic dry developer composition for use in the development of electrostatic latent images which comprises a mixture of charged toner particles and oppositely charged carrier particles, the carrier particles comprising a hard magnetic material having a single-phase hexagonal crystal structure doped with at least one metal that, upon substitution of said metal into said crystal structure, produces a multi-valent ion of the formula Mⁿ⁺, wherein n is an integer of at least 4.

26. The developer of claim 25 wherein the carrier particles exhibit a coercivity of at least about 300 Oersteds when magnetically saturated and an induced magnetic moment of at least about 20 EMU/gm of carrier in an applied field of 1000 Oersteds.

27. The developer of claim 25 wherein the carrier particles are surface coated with a resin layer.

28. The developer of claim 27 wherein the layer is discontinuous.

29. The developer of claim 27 wherein the resin is a mixture of polyvinylidene fluoride and polymethylmethacrylate.

30. The developer of claim 27 wherein the resin is a silicone resin.

31. The developer of claim 25 wherein the hard magnetic material is a hard magnetic ferrite selected from the group consisting of strontium ferrite, barium ferrite or lead ferrite.

32. The developer of claim 25 wherein the hard magnetic material is strontium ferrite.

33. The developer of claim 25 wherein n is 4 or 5.

34. The developer of claim 25 wherein n is 4.

35. The developer of claim 25 wherein the at least one metal is selected from the group consisting of antimony, arsenic, germanium, hafnium, molybdenum, niobium, silicon, tantalum, tellurium, tin, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, zirconium, and mixtures thereof.

36. The developer of claim 25 wherein the at least one metal is selected from the group consisting of silicon, zirconium, tin, titanium, and mixtures thereof.

37. The developer of claim 25 wherein the at least one metal is present in an amount of up to about 10 wt % based on total weight of the carrier particles.

38. A method for developing an electrostatic image comprising contacting the image with a two-component dry developer composition comprising charged toner particles and oppositely charged carrier particles according to claim 25.

39. An electrostatic two-component dry developer composition for use in the development of electrostatic latent images which comprises a mixture of charged toner particles and oppositely charged carrier particles, the carrier particles comprising a hard magnetic ferrite material having a single phase hexagonal crystal structure and represented by the formula:

40. The developer of claim 39 wherein the carrier particles exhibit a coercivity of at least about 300 Oersteds when magnetically saturated and an induced magnetic moment of at least about 20 EMU/gm of carrier in an applied field of 1000 Oersteds.

41. The developer of claim 39 which are surface coated with a resin layer.

42. The developer of claim 41 wherein the layer is discontinuous.

43. The developer of claim 41 wherein the resin is a mixture of polyvinylidene fluoride and polymethylmethacrylate.

44. The developer of claim 41 wherein the resin is a silicone resin.

45. The developer of claim 39 wherein P is strontium.

46. The developer of claim 39 wherein x is less than about 0.3.

47. The developer of claim 39 wherein the at least one metal is selected from the group consisting of silicon, zirconium, tin, titanium, and mixtures thereof.

48. A method for developing an electrostatic image comprising contacting the image with a two-component dry developer composition comprising charged toner particles and oppositely charged carrier particles according to claim 39.

49. An electrostatic single-component dry developer for use in the development of electrostatic latent images which comprises a composite of a binder and a hard magnetic material having a single-phase hexagonal crystal structure doped with at least one metal that, upon substitution of said metal into said crystal structure, produces a multi-valent ion of the formula Mⁿ⁺, wherein n is an integer of at least 4.

50. The developer of claim 49 wherein the magnetic material exhibits a coercivity of at least about 300 Oersteds when magnetically saturated and an induced magnetic moment of at least about 20 EMU/gm of carrier in an applied field of 1000 Oersteds.

51. The developer of claim 49 wherein the hard magnetic material is strontium ferrite.

52. The developer of claim 49 wherein the at least one metal is selected from the group consisting of antimony, arsenic, germanium, hafnium, molybdenum, niobium, silicon, tantalum, tellurium, tin, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, zirconium, and mixtures thereof.

53. The developer of claim 49 wherein the at least one metal is selected from the group consisting of silicon, zirconium, tin, titanium, and mixtures thereof.

54. The developer of claim 49 wherein n is 4 or 5.

55. The developer of claim 49 wherein n is 4.

56. A method for developing an electrostatic image comprising contacting the image with a single-component dry developer composition comprising charged toner particles and oppositely charged carrier particles according to claim 49.

57. An electrostatic single-component dry developer for use in the development of electrostatic latent images which comprises a composite of a binder and a hard magnetic material having a single-phase hexagonal crystal structure and represented by the formula:

58. The developer of claim 57 wherein the magnetic material exhibits a coercivity of at least about 300 Oersteds when magnetically saturated and an induced magnetic moment of at least about 20 EMU/gm of carrier in an applied field of 1000 Oersteds.

59. The developer of claim 57 wherein the hard magnetic material is strontium ferrite.

60. The developer of claim 57 wherein x is less than about 0.3.

61. The developer of claim 57 wherein the at least one metal is selected from the group consisting of silicon, zirconium, tin, titanium, and mixtures thereof.

62. A method for developing an electrostatic image comprising contacting the image with a single-component dry developer composition comprising charged toner particles and oppositely charged carrier particles according to claim 57.