Polymer coagulants for preparing emulsion aggregation toner particles

Abstract

Toner coagulation methods may comprise: providing an aqueous slurry comprising a plurality of polymer particles comprising a first polymer having a first ionic charge, a water-soluble organic polymer coagulant having a second ionic charge opposite to the first ionic charge; maintaining the aqueous slurry at a first temperature below the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the polymer particles until aggregated polymer particles having a desired aggregate size have formed; once aggregated polymer particles having the desired aggregate size have formed, heating the aqueous slurry at a second temperature above the Tg; maintaining the aqueous slurry above the Tg until the aggregated polymer particles have coalesced into molten toner particles having a desired shape and/or morphology; and once molten toner particles having the desired shape and/or morphology have formed, cooling the aqueous slurry at a third temperature below the Tg to form solidified toner particles.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.