Kao Corporation

Ken-ichi Suenaga

Kuniyasu Kawabe

Katsutoshi Aoki

Hiroyuki Kawaji

Tetsuhiro Semura

Eizi Morimoto

The toner for electrophotography contains a binder resin, wherein the binder resin has a condensation polymerization-type resin for forming a matrix and an addition polymerization-type resin for forming a dispersed domain. The dispersed domain with a cross-sectional diameter of not more than 2 .mu.m has an areal proportion of not less than 90%, based on the total cross-sectional area of the dispersed domain. This toner is stable, which is capable of maintaining a suitable tribo electric charge, thereby providing a high image quality in which the formed images do not undergo deterioration even under severe environmental conditions. Moreover, in a fixing method using a heat roller; fixing at a low temperature can be performed without using an offset inhibiting liquid.

Process for producing a toner for electrophotography

The method of producing a binder resin has the steps of blending in advance (a) a starting material monomer mixture for two polymerization reaction types, (b) a compound which can react with both of starting material monomers for the two polymerization reaction types, and (c) a tricarboxylic or higher polycarboxylic acid or a derivative thereof, the two polymerization reaction types having independent reaction paths to each other in one reaction vessel; and concurrently carrying out the two polymerization reactions in one reaction vessel to give the binder resin. According to the present invention, the binder resin which has an excellent environmental stability in the tribo electric charge and the image quality, and also has good pulverizability and transparency can be produced. Moreover, in a fixing method using a heat roller, fixing at a low temperature can be performed without using an offset inhibiting liquid. By using such a binder resin, a toner for electrophotography and a developer having excellent performance can be obtained.

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Wakayama, Japan

Ken-ichi Suenaga