Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation

Takeshi Owada

Teruyuki Mitsumori

Hiroaki Takamura

Kozo Ishio

Shiho Sano

Shiro Yasutomi

Yumi Hirabaru

Masaya Oota

Masakazu Sugihara

Teruki Senokuchi

Takuya Nishikiori

Yuzo Kaneko

An object of the invention is to provide a toner which is effective in improving image quality while inhibiting white-background fouling, residual-image phenomenon (ghost), blurring (suitability for solid printing), and the like that occur depending on the proportion of a fine powder having a particle diameter not larger than a specific value, and which has satisfactory removability in cleaning, mitigates problems concerning fouling, etc. in long-term use even on a high-speed printer, and attains excellent image stability. Another object is to provide an image-forming apparatus and a toner cartridge each employing the toner. The invention provides a toner for electrostatic-image development satisfying all of the following (1) to (4) or a toner for electrostatic-image development which is a toner containing a charge control agent and satisfying all of the following (5) to (7). The invention further provides an image-forming apparatus and a toner cartridge each employing the toner. (1) To have a volume-median diameter (Dv50) of from 4.0 &#x3bc;m to 7.5 &#x3bc;m. (2) To have an average degree of circularity of 0.93 or higher. (3) A volume-median diameter (Dv50) of the toner and population number % of toner particles having a particle diameter of from 2.00 &#x3bc;m to 3.56 &#x3bc;m (Dns) in the toner satisfy the relationship Dns&#x2266;0.233 EXP(17.3/Dv50). (4) To have a coefficient of variation in number of 24.0% or lower. (5) To have a volume-median diameter (Dv50) of from 4.0 &#x3bc;m to 7.5 &#x3bc;m. (6) A volume-median diameter (Dv50) of the toner and population number % of toner particles having a particle diameter of from 2.00 &#x3bc;m to 3.56 &#x3bc;m (Dns) in the toner satisfy the relationship Dns&#x2266;0.233 EXP(17.3/Dv50). (7) When the charge control agent on the toner surface is cleaned, the resultant depressions have an average diameter of 500 nm or smaller.

Toners for electrostatic-image development, cartridge employing toner for electrostatic-image development, and image-forming apparatus

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Chesapeake, VA, United States of America

Takeshi Owada