Relationship between Drying State of Toner Image and TransferPerformance in the IOI Color Process Using Liquid Toner

Abstract

In the image-on-image (IOI) color process using liquid toner, the toner image developed on the photoreceptor includes excess solvent. The optimum drying condition of the toner image is required to realize highly efficient transfer by using non-electrostatic transfer. The authors have found that the drying state of the toner image can be monitored by measurement of the reflective intensity of the laser beam irradiated on the toner image surface with solvent evaporation. In this paper, we discuss the relationship between drying states and transfer performance, and the adhesion force of toner image to the transfer drum and to the photoreceptor is evaluated. The drying states in the optimum range obtained the highly efficient transfer were investigated by measurement of toner concentration and observation by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The experimental data were confirmed by evaluation of the adhesion force.