Granted Patent B2

US 7,494,757 · App. 11/089,149 · Granted Feb 24, 2009

Abstract

Claims (14)

1. A method of forming a toner particle comprising a binder, comprising:

forming the binder of an amorphous resin and a crystalline resin, wherein the crystalline resin has a melting point of at least about 70° C. and a recrystallization point of at least about 47° C., and

forming the toner particle from the binder, and

annealing the toner particle at a temperature within 10° C. of a recrystallization temperature and at or above a glass transition temperature of the crystalline resin.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising adding a colorant to the binder prior to forming the toner particle.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the crystalline resin is a sulfonated polyester resin or a sulfonated copolyester resin.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the sulfonated polyester resin or sulfonated copolyester resin is formed of monomers selected from the group consisting of 5-sulfoisophthalic acid, sebacic acid, dodecanedioic acid, ethylene glycol and butylene glycol.

5. A process comprising:

forming toner particles comprising a binder, wherein the binder comprises an amorphous polyester resin and a crystalline resin; and

annealing the toner particles at a temperature within 10° C. of a recrystallization temperature and at or above a glass transition temperature of the crystalline resin.

6. The process according to claim 5 , further comprising adding a colorant to the binder prior to forming the toner particles.

7. The process according to claim 5 , wherein annealing the toner particles occurs from about one hour to about 24 hours.

8. The process according to claim 7 , wherein the annealing occurs from about 10 hours to about 20 hours.

9. The process according to claim 5 , wherein the glass transition temperature is below about 50° C.

Assignments (9)