Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Valdis Mikelsons

Prabhakara Satyauolu Rao

Gaye K Lehman

Gary L Dorer

Paul J Wang

John F Eisele

Wu-Shyong Li

Patricia J Brandt

Robert D Kuehn

James A Baker

Edward J Woo

Hsin-hsin Chou

Truman Frank Kellie

Gay L Herman

Smarajit Mitra

Gregory L Zwadlo

Claire A Jalbert

Richard S Fisch

Brian P Teschendorf

Owen L Nelson

Melville R Sahyun

S Prabhakara Rao

Lawrence M Lucking

Thomas J Staiger

Gregory L Zwaldo

Michael J Petrich

Kent E Emerson

Tsung-I Chen

Timothy W King

Michael G Baier

Richard H Olson

Kathryn L Craighead

The invention provides electrographic imaging sheets comprising a substrate carrying a layer of dielectric material which has abhesive properties suitable for the release of a multicolored toner image from the dielectric surface during image transfer, while also having good toning properties during the several development stages of a multicolor toner imaging process.

Electrostatic color imaging paper with an instrinsic release dielectric

The toner particles of this invention comprise pigment and a resin. The resin comprises a novel polymer formed from ethylenically unsaturated monomers, macromeric moieties that render the resin dispersible in hydrocarbon solvents, and a surface-release promoting moiety. When used for toner particles the polymer further comprises charge directing chelating moieties. The toner particles also include a charge director, preferably a metal cation. The toner particles, when dispersed in a carrier liquid, are useful as liquid toners for electrographic or electrophotographic processes.

Liquid toners with hydrocarbon solvents

Process for preparing liquid toners with hydrocarbon solvents

Electrostatic color imaging paper with an intrinsic release dielectric

Method and apparatus for producing an image on plain paper from image data using a photoreceptor. An image-wise distribution of charges is produced on the photoreceptor corresponding to the image data. A liquid ink having solid charged pigmented particles, the liquid ink having an effective glass transition temperature of less than 25 degrees Celsius is applied to the photoreceptor forming an image-wise distribution of the pigmented particles on the photoreceptor to form the image. The liquid ink has greater than seventy-five percent by volume fraction of solids in the image. A film forming means is positioned against the photoreceptor immediately following the application means to dry the image of the liquid ink to film forming within 0.5 seconds. The image is dried on the photoreceptor. The image is then transferred to an elastomeric transfer roller which forms a first transfer nip under pressure with the photoreceptor. The elastomeric transfer roller is heated to from 50 degrees Celsius to 100 degrees Celsius. Subsequently, the image is transferred to plain paper through a nip formed between a backup roller under pressure with the transfer roller. The release layer of the photoreceptor has a surface energy which is less than a surface energy of the elastomeric transfer roller which in turn is less than a surface energy of the liquid ink which in turn is less than a surface energy of the plain paper.

Method and apparatus having improved image transfer characteristics for

A liquid toner composition for use in electrographic imaging comprises a non-aqueous solvent and a soluble dispersant made from thermodynamically compatible polymers containing functional groups with good adsorption properties for cyan, magenta, yellow and black pigments. The invention also describes the incorporation of reactive functional groups that crosslink on heat treatment to improve modulus and scratch resistance.

Liquid toners from soluble polymeric dispersants with reactive groups

An electrographic imaging process is described in which electrostatic images are toned in sequence to form a multicolor intermediate image on a temporary dielectric receptor. The intermediate image is then transferred to a permanent receptor. Certain relative properties of the toner and the intermediate image, such as surface energy, T.sub.g, work of adhesion, and complex dynamic viscosity, have been found to be important to the production of good final images.

Toner developed electrostatic imaging process for outdoor signs

A development apparatus is provided with a flat or concavely curved, endless belt development electrode to conform to a flat or cylindrical electrographic record member, respectively. Such a configuration provides increased toned quality as compared to conventional cylindrical development electrodes.

Endless belt development electrode for electrographic image

A substantially radiation absorbing layer of metal having a microstructured surface characterized by a plurality of randomly positioned discrete protuberances of varying heights and shapes, which protuberances have a height of not less than 20 nanometers nor more than 1500 nm, and the bases of which contact the bases of substantially all adjacent protuberances is disclosed. The metal layer, which may be a coating on a variety of substrates, is useful as a radiation absorber (particularly solar). A method is disclosed for producing such layers.

Radiation absorbing surfaces

An imageable article comprising a photoresist layer on a substantially radiation absorbing layer of metal having a microstructured surface characterized by a plurality of randomly positioned discrete protuberances of varying heights and shapes, which protuberances have a height of not less than 20 nanometers nor more than 1500 nanometers, and the bases of which contact the bases of substantially all adjacent protuberances is disclosed. The imageable article is particularly useful in the field of graphic arts.

Imageable material with radiation absorbing microstructured layers

A method of transferring, encapsulating, and fixing dried liquid toner images in electrography is provided. Stable, abrasion-resistant articles exhibiting continuous tone and transmission optical densities within the range of 0 to 4.0 are disclosed.

Transfer, encapsulating, and fixing of toner images

A system and method using an integral sandwich structure including an insulative layer-photoconductive layer-conductive layer. A removable electrode member is positioned above and connected to the insulative layer by a thin liquid layer having a dipole moment greater than zero, a conductivity sufficient to maintain the electric potential of the surface of the insulative layer at the potential of the electrode member, a surface tension equal to or smaller than the critical surface tension of the insulative layer. Upon removal of the electrode member the liquid evaporates in a time period less than the dark dielectric time constant of the photoconductive insulative layer. A d.c. voltage is applied between the conductive layer and the removable electrode during which time a radiation image is applied to the photoconductive layer to cause an electrical charge image to be produced at the outer surface of the insulative layer. The method then requires removal of the electrode member and after evaporation of the liquid, the photoconductive layer of the structure is subjected to overall radiation.

Method for providing an electrical charge pattern on the insulative

A process for forming single layer coatings that render a surface more light transmitting and less light reflecting without an attendant increase in diffuse scattering, which includes the steps of depositing a thin metal film on the surface and totally converting the thin metallic film to either an oxide and/or hydroxide microstructured layer by chemical or a combination of chemical and electrochemical methods. Uniform optical properties are exhibited over large angles of incidence and an extremely broad range of wavelengths.

Process for forming a microstructured transmission and reflectance

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Mendota Heights, MN, United States of America

Valdis Mikelsons