Elucidation for Determinant Factor of Powder Flow Property through Powder Stress Measurement

Abstract

The powder flow property of fine resin particles is critical for printing process and therefore elucidation for what it attributes to is essential for controlling the powder flow property in electrophotography. However, the determinant factor of powder flowability hasn't been elucidated yet. In this study, we examined what de termines powder flowability represented as flow function proposed by Jenike. We used spherical polymethyl methacrylate and polystyrene particles with various particle diameters and evaluated their powder flowability through static stress measurements using Peschl shear cell. We examined the critical factor for the powder flowability. As a result, the force between two resin particles is the determinant factor and mainly consisted of the Van der Waals force.