Triboelectrification in the two-components development system, and effects of the charge density on a toner surface and the toner size on electrophotographic image-quality factors have been investigated by varying (1) the toner median size d from 6.8 μm to 13.5 μm and the carrier median size D from 43 μm to 106 μm, and also varying (2) the carrier specific weight ρ
c by using different carrier core, (3) composition of methylmethacrylate/styrene copolymer resin (MMA/St) on the carrier surface, and (4) concentration of carbon black [C B] in the toner binder of polyester.
As regars triboelecrification of toners and a carrier in the two-components development system, it has been found that triboelectrification with n particles of toner on a carrier is more favorably describable by the charge density on a toner surface (
q/
st) as a function of surface-area ratio of n toners to a carrier (
nst/
sc), on bases of contact electrostatic field strength (
Ek) and structural (or geometrical) factors of the toner and the carrier (
ft,
fc), rather than by the toner charge-to-mass ratio (
q/
m) as a function of mixing-weight ratio of toners to a carrier
X (or toner concentration
Tc) .
As regars the development efficiency of toners in solid area, it has been found that the development efficiency is determined by the charge density on a toner surface
q/
st, not by the toner charge-to-mass ratio
q/
m suggested by Schein and by others.
As regards the resolusion of line images reproduced by the two-components contact development in the rotating direction of the photoreceptor drum, the width of a line image
Γ, of which the original line width
Γ0 is 100 μm, broadens by four particles of toner,
ΔΓ= +4·
d. The resultant resolution of line images
Re is determined by the reciprocal of the broadening width, (
Re ∝ 1/4
d). In the horizontal direction of the photoreceptor drum, the line-width
Γ is reduced by the scavenging effect of ears of the developer. On the other hand, the broadening of a line image reproduced by the mono-component jumping development is certified to be isotropic in the rotating and horizontal directions of the photoreceptor drum, then, the reproduction of a dot image has been investigated by the mono-component jumping development. As regards the reproduction of dot images of 150 dots/inch; for a small original dot with dot-area percentage ≤ 5 %, the dot image disappeares; for an original dot with dot-area percentage of 12 %, the diameter of a dot
Dd reduces isotropically by two particles of toner, (
ΔDd = -2·
d); and for an original dot with dot-area percentage of 28-60 %, the diameter of a dot
Dd broadens isotropically by six particles of toner, (
ΔDd = +6·
d).
In conclusion, the correlation between the toner size4and the image-quality factors, i.e. resolusion of line images, reproduction of a dot image, and reproduction of gereration copies of a line image, has been quantitatively clarified, and utilization of toner particles of a smaller size have been persuaded in order to improve the electrophotographic image-quality factors furthermore.
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