[0001] The present invention relates to a toner having coloring particles containing polyester
resins as a binder resin. More particularly, it relates to a toner having high productivity,
improved fixability at a low temperature and heat resistance.
[0002] A styrene-acrylic resin has been widely used as a binder resin for coloring particles
contained in a toner for electrophotograhy. However, with the recent development of
high speed copying, in addition to a recent demand for a toner having good fixability
to paper in a high speed copying machine, a demand for a toner which is capable of
fixing at a low temperature has increased in view of energy-saving. To meet the demands,
use of a polyester resin as a binder resin for coloring particles has been proposed.
[0003] The polyester resin used in coloring particles is generally obtained by condensation
polymerization between alcohol components and dicarboxylic acid components such as
terephthalic acid. Examples for the alcohol components are aromatic alcohol such as
bisphenol, and aliphatic alcohol such as ethylene glycol and neopentyl glycol.
[0004] However, the polyester resin having an aromatic alcohol as alcohol components is
liable to result in low production efficiency of coloring particles due to a low grindability
of the resin. In addition, when the toner having such resin is used in a high speed
copying machine, the toner do not have enough fixability to a paper at a low temperature
in a fixation section of the machine. One of the solutions to solve these problems
is liable to drop the softening point of the resin. But the dropped softening point
of the resin may cause another problem for the toner to decrease heat resistance and
shelf life.
[0005] On the other hand, the polyester resin having an aliphatic alcohol as alcohol component
can improve the fixability of toners at a low temperature, but it may cause a problem
of low heat resistance.
[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a toner and a developer which
have overcome the problems residing in the prior art.
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a toner and a developer which
have a high productivity, improved fixability at a low temperature, and excellent
heat resistance.
[0008] According to an aspect of the present invention, a toner containing coloring particles,
each coloring particle including a binder resin. The binder resin has a crosslinking-type
polyester resin made from an aliphatic alcohol and a carboxylic acid and a non-crosslinking-type
polyester resin made from an aromatic alcohol and a carboxylic acid.
[0009] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a developer
containing carrying particles and coloring particles. Each coloring particle includes
a binder resin having a crosslinking-type polyester resin made from an aliphatic alcohol
and a carboxylic acid and a non-crosslinking-type polyester resin made from an aromatic
alcohol and a carboxylic acid.
[0010] Resins made from an aromatic alcohol and a carboxylic acid generally have a higher
softening temperature than that of resins made from an aliphatic alcohol and a carboxylic
acid. On the other hand, resins having a crosslinking structure generally have a higher
softening temperature than that of resins having no crosslinking structure. The inventors
have attempted to produce toner having both high heat resistance and high fixability
at a low temperature in combination of the above mentioned properties.
[0011] In the present invention, a mixture of a crosslinking-type polyester resin having
an aliphatic alcohol as an alcohol component (hereinafter referred to as "POLYESTER
RESIN I" ) and a non-crosslinking-type polyester resin having an aromatic alcohol
as an alcohol component (hereinafter referred to as "POLYESTER RESIN II" ) is used
as a binder resin contained in coloring particles.
[0012] POLYESTER RESIN I has relatively high softening point due to its crosslinking structure,
it acts to provide viscoelasticity to the coloring particles for improving their fixability.
Use of a toner including such coloring particles in a copying machine expands the
allowable temperature range for a surface of a fixing roller of the machine that ensures
the satisfactory fixation. Above the allowable temperature range, the cold offset
is likely to occur. Below the allowable temperature range, the hot offset is likely
to occur. However, a binder resin including only a crosslinking-type polyester, i.e.,
POLYESTER RESIN I, do not attribute to a good fixability at a low temperature such
as below the softening point of POLYESTER RESIN I.
[0013] In this invention, in order to overcome the problem due to POLYESTER RESIN I, POLYESTER
RESIN I is mixed with a non-crosslinking-type polyester resin, i.e., POLYESTER RESIN
II,to use it as a binder resin. POLYESTER RESIN II has no crosslinking structure,
and is thus able to soften at a temperature lower than POLYESTER RESIN I. Therefore,
a mixture of POLYESTER RESIN I with POLYESTER RESIN II improves the fixability at
low temperature.
[0014] Next, POLYESTER RESIN I will be described. POLYESTER RESIN I, i.e., a crosslinking-type
polyester resin having an aliphatic alcohol as an alcohol component, is primary obtained
by condensation polymerization between aliphatic polyhydric alcohol and polybasic
carboxylic acid. To ensure a crosslinking structure to the resin, it may be appreciated
that: the alcohol have more than three hydroxyl groups; the carboxylic acid have more
than three carboxyl groups; or the carboxylic acid and/or the alcohol have a crosslinkable
functional group in the side chain.
[0015] As examples of the aliphatic polyhydric alcohol for the polyester resin, there may
be diols such as ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,2-propylene
glycol, 1,3-propylene glycol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,4-butenediol, neopentyl glycol, 1,5-pentane
glycol, 1,6-hexane glycol, 1,4-cyclohexane dimethanol, dipropylene glycol, polyethylene
glycol, polypropylene glycol and polytetramethylene glycol; trials such as 1,2,4-butanetriol,
1,2,5-pentanetriol, glycerol, 2-methylpropanetriol, 2-methyl-1,2,4-butanetriol, trimethylolethane,
trimethyolpropanetrimethyolethane, trimethyolpropane, pentaerythritol; and tetraols.
[0016] As examples of the polybasic carboxylic acid for the polyester resin, there may be
aromatic polybasic carboxylic acids such as phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, terephthalic
acid, 1,2,4-benzene tricarboxylic acid, 2,5,7-naphthalene tricarboxylic acid, 1,2,4-naphthalene
tricarboxylic acid and pyromellitic acid; aliphatic dicarboxylic acids such as maleic
acid, fumaric acid, succinic acid, adipic acid, sebacic acid, malonic acid, azelaic
acid, mesaconic acid, citraconic acid and glutaconic acid; alicyclic dicarboxylic
acids such as cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid and methyl nadic acid; anhydrides of these
carboxylic acids; and lower alkyl esters of these carboxylic acids.
[0017] Since degree of crosslinking of POLYESTER RESIN I depends upon the total amount of
components of the alcohol having more than three hydroxyl groups and the carboxylic
acid having more than three carboxyl groups, a desired degree of crosslinking is obtainable
by adjusting the amounts of such components. It is usually preferable that the components
are present in the amount of not more than 15 mol percent.
[0018] As examples of a crosslinkable functional group, there may be isocyanate group, vinyl
sulfonic acid group, vinyl ketone group, aldehyde group, epoxy group, azide group
or the like.
[0019] The mole ratio of the carboxylic acid component to the alcohol component ranges preferably
from 9:10 to 10:9.
[0020] Preparation of POLYESTER RESIN I may be made by a known method, e.g., direct polymerization
method. In a direct polymerization method, the alcohol component and the acid component
are placed in a reactor at a time for esterification. In another direct polymerizaton
method, one of the components is placed in a reactor and then the other component
is put portion by portion into the reactor. The reaction generally occurs at a temperature
between 150 and 300°C. preferably between 170 and 280°C, in the presence of a catalyst.
The reaction may be conducted at an atmospheric pressure, a reduced pressure, or a
high pressure. After the reaction rate reaches 50-90percent, however, the reaction
preferably proceeds at a reduced pressure, e.g., 200mmHg or less.
[0021] As examples of the catalyst of the reaction, there may be metals such as tin, titanium,
antimony, manganese, nickel, zinc, lead, iron, magnesium, calcium and germanium; and
compounds containing these metals.
[0022] Next, POLYESTER RESIN II will be described. Aromatic polybasic alcohol usable as
an alcohol component of POLYESTER RESIN II includes primary diols. As examples of
the diol, there may be etherificated bisphenol such as polyoxypropylene(2.2)-2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane,
polyoxypropylen(3.3)-2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane, polyoxyethylene(2.0)-2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane,
polyoxypropylene(2.0)-polyoxyethylene(2.0)-2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane and polyoxypropylen(6)-2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane,
bisphenol A, bisphenol Z or the like.
[0023] The polybasic carboxylic acid used as the acid component of POLYESTER RESIN II, and
prepartion of POLYESTER RESIN II are similar with those for POLYESTER RESIN I.
[0024] The mixing rate of POLYESTER RESIN I to POLYESTER RESIN II is preferably between
1:3 and 10:1 by weight, more preferably between 1:2 and 6:1, and further preferably
between 1:1 and 4:1.
[0025] The mixing rate below the minimum rate is likely to cause problems such as fixation
offset and paper winding due to a heated fixation roller. Also, the mixing rate above
the maximum rate is likely to cause problems such as fixation failure.
[0026] In addition to POLYESTER RESIN I and POLYESTER RESIN II, other resins such as styrene-acrylic
resin may be jointly used as a binder resin, without impairing the advantageous effect
of the present invention.
[0027] POLYESTER RESIN I preferably has a gel portion ranging from 5 to 20 percent by weight,
while POLYESTER RESIN II preferably has substantially no gel portion.
[0028] The "gel portion" means the portion of a polyester resin that remains insoluble in
the solvent of tetrahydrofuran. Accordingly, the amount of gel portion indicates the
degrees of crosslinking of the resin. If POLYESTER RESIN I has less than 5 percent
by weight of the gel portion, i.e., the resin has too low degree of crosslinking,
the allowable temperature range for the surface of a fixing roller for satisfactory
fixation cannot be extended. On the other hand, if POLYESTER RESIN I has more than
20percent by weight of the gel portion, i.e., the resin has too high degree of crosslinking,
the toner cannot have enough fixability at a low temperature.
[0029] The preferable softening point of POLYESTER RESIN I ranges from 130 to 155°C and
that of POLYESTER RESIN II ranges from 90 to 120°C.
[0030] POLYESTER RESIN I having a softening point below 130°C is likely to decrease the
heat resistance of the toner, whereas the resin having a softening point beyond 155°C
is likely to decrease the fixability of the toner at a low temperature. Similarly,
POLYESTER RESIN II having a softening point below 90°C is likely to decrease the heat
resistance of the toner, whereas the resin having a softening point beyond 120° is
likely to decrease the fixability of the toner at a low temperature.
[0031] The softening points of the resins are measured by using "flow tester CFT-500" (manufactured
by Shimadzu Corp.). The method of measuring softening points includes the steps of:
(1) forming a sample resin into a rod having a height of 1 cm; (2) placing the sample
resin on a predetermined position in CFT-500; (3) heating the sample resin by the
rate of 6°C/min at a pressure of 20 kg/cm
2 applied by a plunger, to extrude the sample resin from a die having a diameter of
1 mm and a length of 1 mm; and (4) recording a change in distance from the original
position of the plunger relative to a change in temperature of the sample during the
process of (3), to obtain a sigmoid curve. The temperature of
h/2, wherein
h denotes a height of the curve, is the softening point of the sample resin.
[0032] Next, preparation of an inventive toner will be described. The inventive toner may
be prepared by a number of known methods, such as pulverization classification method,
melt granulating method, spray granulating method, and polymerization method. In the
pulverization classification method, for example, the binder resin is premixed together
with other toner compositions such as coloring agent, charge controlling agent, and
mold releasing agent, in a mixer such as Henschel's mixer. The mixture is kneaded
with a kneading machine, e.g., a biaxial extruder. The obtained kneaded compositions
are then cooled, pulverized and, if necessary, classified, to prepare main particles.
[0033] It may be preferable that the main particle has a median size from 5 to 15 µm, particularly
from 7 to 12 µm, in terms of measurement of a Coulter counter.
[0034] To a surface of the main particle, a hydrophobic silica and magnetic powder may be
added, to prepare coloring particles. Adding a hydrophobic silica to the surface enhances
the flowability of the toner. The hydrophobic silica is preferably present in an amount
of 0.1 to 2 percent by weight per main particle. Addition of magnetic powder to the
surface improves the transfer efficiency of the toner. In addition, the magnetic powder
added to the toner surface acts to effectively prevent toner from scattering.
[0035] In the case of adding the hydrophobic silica and magnetic powder to the toner, it
is preferable to premix them closely, and add the mixture to main particles, and then
mix all the components so sufficiently as to disperse the silica and magnetic powder
in the toner uniformly.
[0036] In preparing the hydrophobic silica, fine powder of silicon dioxide in which the
silicon atom on the surface is silanol group is allowed to react with a compound,
so that a hydrophobic group is bonded to the silicon dioxide of the silicon dioxide
particles, via an oxygen atom. As examples of the above compound, there may be octyltrichlor
silane, decyltrichlor silane, nonyltrichlor silane, 4-isopropylphenyl- trichlor silane,
4-tert-buthylphenyl trichlor silane, dimethylchlor silane, dipentyldichlor silane,
dihexyldichlor silane, dioctyldichlor silane, dinonyldichlor silane, deciledichlor
silane, didodecyldichlor silane, 4-tert-buthylphenyloctyldichlor silane, dioctyldichlor
silane, didecenyldichlor silane, dinonenyldichlor silane, di-2-ethylhexyldichlor silane,
di-3, 3-dimethyl pentyldichlor silane, trimethylchlor silane, trihexylchlor silane,
trioctylchlor silane, tridecylchlor silane, dioctylchlor silane, octyldimethylchlor
silane and 4-isopropylphenyl diethylchlor silane. It is preferable that the primary
particle of the hydrophobic silica has a mean particle size of 30 µm or less.
[0037] As examples of the magnetic powder, there may be triiron tetroxide (Fe
3O
4), diiron trioxide (γ-Fe
2O
3), iron oxide zinc (ZnFe
3O
4), iron oxide yttrium (Y
3Fe
5O
12), iron oxide cadmium (CdFe
2O
4), iron oxide gadolinium (Gd
3Fe
5O
12), iron oxide copper (CuFe
2O
4), iron oxide lead (PbFe
12O
19), iron oxide nickel (NiFe
2O
4), iron oxide neodymium (NdFeO
3), iron oxide barium (BaFe
12O
19), iron oxide magnesium (MgFe
2O
4), iron oxide manganese (MnFe
2O
4), iron oxide lanthan (LaFeO
3), iron powder (Fe), cobalt powder (Co), and nickel powder (Ni). Preferable magnetic
powder may be fine particles of triiron tetroxide (magnetite). Preferable magnetite
may be of regular octahedron and its particle size is between 0.05 to 1.0 µm. The
surface of the magnetite particles may be treated by silane coupling agent, titanium
type coupling agent or the like.
[0038] The inventive toner may be used as a one-component developer. In this case, if necessary,
the toner may be mixed with magnetic powder to prepare a magnetic toner.
[0039] Also, the inventive toner may be mixed with a carrier as a two-component developer.
In this case, the toner density may be preferably from 2 to 20 percent by weight.
[0040] As examples of carrier for the two-component developer, there maybe iron powder carrier,
ferrite carrier, magnetite carrier. Also, it may be appreciated to use these carriers
coated with a suitable resin. Developer containing a resin-coated carrier can give
excellent high quality and a prolonged life to a developed image.
Examples
[0041] First of all, Material Resins
A to
H were prepared as shown in Table-1. More specifically, Material Resin
A was prepared as follows. Dibutyl tin oxide as a polymerization catalyst was added
into a mixture of 20.1 mol percent of ethylene glycol and 27.5 mol percent of neopentyl
glycol as fatty alcohol, 40.2 mol percent of terephthalic acid as a carboxylic acid,
and 12.2 mol percent of absolute 1,2,4-benzene tricarboxylic acid. This mixture was
then placed in a four-mouth flask. To the flask, a stirrer, a condenser, a thermometer,
and a gas conduit pipe were attached and then placed in a mantle heater.
[0042] From the gas conduit pipe, nitrogen gas was flowed into the flask to hold it in an
inert gas atmosphere. In this state, the flask was heated with stirring to 210 °C
for dehydration condensation reaction. When the temperature of the reaction product
in the flask reached a predetermined temperature Tm', the obtained resin was taken
out of the flask and cooled to the room temperature to terminate the reaction, thereby
obtaining polyester resin (i.e., Material Resign
A). Its glass transition temperature (Tg) was 69 °C, its softening point (Tm) was 145°C,
and its gel portion was 14.6 percent. The glass transition point and softening point
were measured on a "flow tester" manufactured by Shimadzu Corp.
[0043] The predetermined temperature Tm' was the predicted softening point of a resin by
a preliminary experiment performed during the above heating process. In the preliminary
experiment, a part of the reaction product was taken out of the flask several times
with an appropriate timing, in order to examine the relation between the softening
point (Tm) of the reaction product and the reaction time. From the relation, the softening
point of the resulting resin was predicted.
[0044] Material Resins
B to
H were prepared in the same manner as Material Resin
A. Specific prescription and characteristic features of Material Resin
A to
H are given in Table 1.
Example 1
[0045] 75 weight parts of Material Resin A as POLYESTER RESIN I and 25 weight parts of Material
Resin E as POLYESTER RESIN II were used as a binder resin. This 100 weight parts of
the binder resin, 8 weight parts of carbon black "Raven 1255" (manufactured by Columbia
Carbon Inc.) as coloring agent, and 5 weight parts of "carnauba wax" (manufactured
by Kato Yoko Sha) as mold releasing agent were all placed in a Henschel's mixer and
then mixed. This mixture was subjected to melt kneading by a biaxial extruder and
then cooled by a drum flaker. Subsequently, this was roughly pulverized by a hammer
mill, finely pulverized by a jet mill at a milling rate of 140g/min., and classified
by a pneumatic classifier, to obtain main particles having a mean particle size of
9.0 micron.
[0046] As a surface treatment agent, 0.9 wt percent of magnetite "BL220W" (manufactured
by Titan Kogyo K.K.) and 0.9 wt percent of hydrophobic silica "R812S" (manufactured
by Nihon Aerosil Co., Ltd.) were added to the toner and mixed with high speed stirring,
to obtain coloring particles.
[0047] 5 weight parts of the toner and 95 weight parts of ferrite carrier (being coated
with acrylic resin) were mixed by a ball mill, to prepare a developer. This developer
was set in a copying machine "DC5090" (manufactured by Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.),
to measure the following characteristic performances. The results are given in Table
2.
(i) Occurrence of Jam:
It was examined whether paper jam occurred in a fixation section of the copying machine
in copying of 30000 sheets.
(ii) Remain of Previous Toner Image on Fixing Roller:
It was examined whether a previous toner image remained on a periphery of a fixing
roller of the machine.
(iii) Fixability
Paper sheets each bearing a toner-defined copy image were fed by an automatic paper
feeder. Thereafter, it was examined how much toner defining the copy image on one
sheet transferred onto another paper sheet. In Table 2, no transfer is represented
at "○ " which means a high fixability; slight transfer is represented at "△"; and
distinctive transfer is represented at "X" which means a low fixability.
(iv)Minimum Fixation Temperature
The minimum fixation temperature means the lowest surface temperature of a fixing
roller for a satisfactory fixation. The minimum fixation temperature was obtained
by copying an solid image (a square of 3 cm × 3 cm) having an image density of 1.2
at different temperatures, and calculating a fixation rate of the copied image. The
minimum fixation temperature is a temperature at which a fixation rate of 95percent
is obtainable. The minimum fixation temperature is usually required to be below 170°C.
The fixation rate was calculated as follows. The original solid image having an image
density of 1.2 was copied to paper. The copied image was rubbed ten times by a 200g-weight
wrapped with a gauze. Image densities before and after rubbed were put into the following
Equation to obtain a fixation rate:
(v) Fogging Density
A fogging density was obtained by measuring the density of a blank portion of the
paper sheet being a copy image by a reflection density meter (Model #TC-6D, Tokyo
Denshoku Co., Ltd.). The fogging density is usually required to be below 0.005.
(vi) Chargeability
A chargeability of a toner was obtained by a blow-off charge measuring apparatus (manufactured
by Toshiba chemical corp.) Specifically, a sample of 0.2g is placed into a faraday
cage at a pressure of 1 kg/cm2, and the chargeability of the sample was measured after nitrogen sprayed into the
cage for 30 seconds.
(vii) Spent Amount
The spent amount means an weight percent of toner pieces which are broken out of the
coloring particles and adhered to the surface of carrying particles after copying
30000 paper sheets. A spent amount was obtained as follows. First, an amount of carbon
of resin coated on the surface of each carrying particles was measured by a "Carbon
Analyzer". Thereafter, copying was performed for 30000 paper sheets using a sample
developer including coloring particles and the above-measured carrying particles.
After the 30000-copying, carrying particles were extracted from the sample developer.
Similarly, a total of an amount of carbon of toner pieces adhered on the carrying
particles and an amount of carbon of resin coated on each carrying particles was measured
by a "Carbon Analyzer". Calculation was made for a difference between the carbon amount
measured after the copying and the carbon amount measured before the copying. An amount
of toner pieces adhered on the extracted carrying particles was calculated in the
terms of weight based on the calculated difference. A ratio of an weight of the adhered
toner pieces to a total weight of the coloring particles included in a sample developer
was calculated as a spent amount.
Example 2
[0048] Toner was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except for the use of 75 weight
parts of Material Resin
B and 25 weight parts of Material Resin
F as a binder resin. The same evaluations were made and the results are given in Table
2.
Example 3
[0049] Toner was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except for the use of 75 weight
parts of Material Resin
C and 25 weight parts of Material Resin
G as a binder resin. The same evaluations were made and the results are given in Table
2.
Example 4
[0050] Toner was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except for the use of 25 weight
parts of Material Resin
A and 75 weight parts of Material Resin
E as a binder resin. The same evaluations were made and the results are given in Table
2.
Example 5
[0051] Toner was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except for the use of 90 weight
parts of Material Resin
A and 10 weight parts of Material Resin
E as a binder resin. The same evaluations were made and the results are given in Table
2.
Comparative Example 1
[0052] Toner was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except for the use of 100
weight parts of Material Resin
A as a binder resin. The same evaluations were made and the results are given in Table
2.
Comparative Example 2
[0053] Toner was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except for the use of 100
weight parts of Material Resin
D as a binder resin. The same evaluations were made and the results are given in Table
2.
Comparative Example 3
[0054] Toner was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except for the use of 100
weight parts of Material Resin
E as a binder resin. The same evaluations were made and the results are given in Table
2.
Comparative Example 4
[0055] Toner was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except for the use of 100
weight parts of Material Resin
H as a binder resin. The same evaluations were made and the results are given in Table
2.
[0056] In Examples 1 to 5, no jam occurred in the continuous copying of 30000 sheets. These
Examples also gave good results in fogging density, which was less than 0.0004, i.e.,
below the required value of 0.005. Also, these Examples had a spent amount of less
than 14wtpercent, and are remarkably excellent in the aspect of the spent amount.
Further, these Examples had the excellent fixability. Furthermore, these Examples
had the minimum fixation temperature ranged between 150 °C and 165 °C, which is considerably
lower than the required minimum fixation temperature, i.e., 190 °C.
[0057] On the other hand, Comparative Example 1 and 4 did not give good results in the fixability
although no jam was found in Comparative Examples 1 and 4. Also, the minimum fixation
temperatures in Comparative Example 1 and 4 were 185 °C and 190 °C, which were higher
than in Examples 1 to 5.
[0058] Comparative Examples 2 and 3 show undesirable result in the previous image remain
test in addition to the occurrence of jam. Further, the fixability of all Comparative
Examples was smaller than in Examples 1 to 5.
1. A toner comprising coloring particles, each coloring particle including a binder resin
having:
a crosslinking-type polyester resin made from an aliphatic alcohol and a carboxylic
acid; and
a non-crosslinking-type polyester resin made from an aromatic alcohol and a carboxylic
acid.
2. A toner according to claim 1, wherein the crosslinking-type polyester resin has a
gel portion of 5-20 percent by weight and the non-crosslinking type polyester resin
has substantially no gel portion.
3. A toner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the crosslinking-type polyester resin has
a softening point of 130°C-155°C and the non-crosslinking type polyester resin has
a softening point of 90°C -120°C.
4. A toner according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein a mixing rate of the crosslinking-type
polyester resin to the non-crosslinking-type polyester resin is from 1:3 to 10:1 by
weight.
5. A toner according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, wherein the coloring particle further
includes a hydrophobic silica on a surface thereof.
6. A toner according to one or more of claims 1 to 5, wherein the coloring particle further
includes magnetic powder on a surface thereof.
7. A developer comprising:
carrying particles; and
coloring particles, each coloring particle including a binder resin having:
a crosslinking-type polyester resin made from an aliphatic alcohol and a carboxylic
acid; and
a non-crosslinking-type polyester resin made from an aromatic alcohol and a carboxylic
acid.
8. A developer according to claim 7, wherein the crosslinking-type polyester resin has
a gel portion of 5-20 percent by weight and the non-crosslinking type polyester resin
has substantially no gel portion.
9. A developer according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the crosslinking-type polyester resin
has a softening point of 130°C-155°C and the non-crosslinking type polyester resin
has a softening point of 90°C -120°C.
10. A developer according to claim 7 8 or 9, wherein a mixing rate of the crosslinking-type
polyester resin to the non-crosslinking-type polyester resin is from 1:3 to 10:1 by
weight.
11. A developer according to one or more of claims 7 to 10, wherein the coloring particle
further includes a hydrophobic silica on a surface thereof.
12. A developer according to one or more of claims 7 to 11, wherein the coloring particle
further includes magnetic powder on a surface thereof.
13. A developer according to one or more of claims 7 to 12, wherein the content of coloring
particles is 2 to 20 percent by weight.
14. A developer according to one or more of claims 7 to 13, wherein each carrying particle
is coated with a resin.