Mechanism of the Action of Charge Control Agents(CCA)I: Importance of the Crystal and its Surface Conditions in Quaternary Ammonium Type CCA

Abstract

The tribocharging behavior of quaternary ammonium salt type CCA was studied by using simple model toners which consisted of polystyrene-acrylic resins and CCA. It was found that (1) it is important that CCA molecules exist as bulky aggregates, (2) a crystalline solid is superior to an amorphous one in the magnitude of tribocharge and charging-rate, and (3) the magnitude of the tribocharge and charging rate depends on the surface conditions of the crysta1. On the basis of these results, it was proposed that the tribocharge is mainly generated at the defects and dislocations on the crystal surface with the aid of its highly incomplete coordination as a driving force for charge-transfer.