Method of producing toner particles by in-situ polymerization and imaging process
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorEdward Vanzo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Processes for producing colored toner particles are provided comprising mixing a monomer, a colorant and an initiator to form an oil soluble organic phase; dispersing this oil soluble phase in controlled size between 5 to 20 microns in a water phase, employing a suspending agent, for example polyvinyl alcohol; polymerizing, employing conventional suspension polymerization techniques; introducing a second monomer which is allowed to diffuse into the first polymer and consequently swells the polymer; introducing a water soluble initiator; and heating this reaction mixture to effect a polymerization of the second monomer and form the desired toner.
Claims26
A process for producing colored toner particles comprising admixing a colorant with a first organic monomer to form an organic phase;
- maintaining said organic phase under continuous agitation;
- admixing a polymerization initiator with said organic phase;
- admixing said organic phase with an aqueous phase containing a suspending agent therein under polymerization conditions to form a suspension;
- polymerizing said suspension to provide polymer particles containing said colorant and having a particle size in the range of 1 to about 100 microns;
- admixing a second monomer of a tough polymer with the polymer particles under continuous agitation for a period of time sufficient to enable the monomer to diffuse into the polymer particles;
- admixing a water soluble polymerization initiator with the polymer particles under polymerization conditions in said aqueous phase;
- polymerizing said second monomer;
- and thereafter recovering the polymer particles.
An electrostatographic developer composition comprising a mixture of finely-divider toner particles and a solid or liquid vehicle therefor, said toner particles being prepared by admixing a colorant with at least one organic monomer to form an organic phase;
- maintaining said organic phase under continuous agitation;
- admixing a polymerization initiator with said organic phase;
- admixing said organic phase with an aqueous phase containing a suspending agent therein under polymerization conditions to form a suspension;
- polymerizing said suspension to provide polymer particles containing said colorant and having a particle size in the range of 1 to about 100 microns;
- admixing a second monomer of a tough polymer with the polymer particles under continuous agitation for a period of time sufficient to enable the monomer to diffuse into the polymer particles;
- admixing a water soluble polymerization initiator with the polymer particles under polymerization conditions in said aqueous phase;
- polymerizing said second monomer;
- and thereafter, recovering said polymer particles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.