Fluorescent latexes with enhanced brightness
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorChunliang Lu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Fluorescent latexes are provided. In embodiments, a fluorescent latex comprises water and fluorescent agent-incorporated resin particles, the particles comprising a resin and a Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) pair comprising a fluorescent brightener having a fluorescence emission spectrum and a fluorescent dye having an absorption spectrum that overlaps with the fluorescence emission spectrum of the fluorescent brightener, wherein the fluorescent latex exhibits FRET under illumination with ultraviolet (UV) light. Fluorescent toners made from the fluorescent latexes are provided. Methods of making and using the fluorescent toners are also provided.
Claims18
A fluorescent latex comprising water and fluorescent agent-incorporated resin particles, the particles comprising a resin and a Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) pair comprising a fluorescent brightener having a fluorescence emission spectrum and a fluorescent dye having an absorption spectrum that overlaps with the fluorescence emission spectrum of the fluorescent brightener, wherein the fluorescent latex exhibits FRET under illumination with ultraviolet (UV) light.
A fluorescent toner comprising fluorescent agent-incorporated resin particles, the particles comprising a resin and a FRET pair comprising a fluorescent brightener having a fluorescence emission spectrum and a fluorescent dye having an absorption spectrum that overlaps with the fluorescence emission spectrum of the fluorescent brightener, wherein the fluorescent toner exhibits FRET under illumination with UV light.
A method of making a fluorescent toner, the method comprising:
- forming one or more fluorescent latexes which comprise a FRET pair comprising a fluorescent brightener having a fluorescence emission spectrum and a fluorescent dye having an absorption spectrum that overlaps with the fluorescence emission spectrum of the fluorescent brightener, a first type of amorphous resin, and a second type of amorphous resin;
- forming a mixture comprising the one or more fluorescent latexes;
- one or more emulsions which comprise a crystalline resin, the first type of amorphous resin, the second type of amorphous resin;
- and optionally, a wax dispersion;
- aggregating the mixture to form particles of a predetermined size;
- forming a shell over the particles of the predetermined size to form core-shell particles;
- and
- coalescing the core-shell particles to form a fluorescent toner, wherein the fluorescent toner exhibits FRET under illumination with UV light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.