Process for making toner particles wherein the pigment is dispersed in the toner

Claim 2

A process for making pigmented toner particles wherein the pigment is dispersed in the individual toner particles, said process comprising the steps of: (a) dispersing a hydrophilic, sub-micron sized pigment in a polymerizable liquid monomer mixture in the presence of a surface modifier which contains at least one functional group per molecule; (b) admixing the dispersion under high shear conditions in an aqueous medium which has dispersed therein a particulate colloidally sized stabilizer, to produce micron-sized droplets of said dispersion in said aqueous medium; (c) polymerizing said monomer mixture in said suspended droplets to produce solid particles comprised of a polymer matrix wherein said pigment is dispersed in interior regions of said particles; and (d) separating and drying said particles.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein said solid particles have a particle size in the range of about 1 to about 100 microns.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 wherein a charge control agent is admixed with said dispersion.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 wherein said surface modifier is soluble in said liquid monomer mixture.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 wherein said pigment is carbon black.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 wherein said surface modifier is a polycarboxylic acid which contains at least 5% by weight of carboxylic acid groups per molecule, and the remainder consisting of aliphatic hydrocarbon group containing at least about 8 carbon atoms.

Claim 8

A process for making pigmented toner particles wherein the pigment is dispersed in the individual toner particles, said process comprising the steps of: (a) dispersing a thermoplastic polymer, a hydrophilic, sub-micron sized pigment, and a surface modifier which contains at least one functional group per molecule, in a water immiscible organic carrier liquid which has a boiling point below that of water; (b) admixing under high shear conditions said dispersion with an aqueous medium which has dispersed therein a particulate stabilizer to produce a suspension of micron-sized droplets of said dispersion in said aqueous medium; (c) stirring said suspension while evaporating therefrom said organic carrier liquid to produce solid particles comprised of a polymer matrix wherein said pigment is dispersed in interior regions of said particles; and (d) separating and drying said particles.

Claim 9

A process for making pigmented toner particles wherein the pigment is dispersed in the individual toner particles, said process comprising the steps of: (a) dispersing a thermoplastic polymer, a hydrophilic, sub-micron sized pigment, and a surface modifier which contains at least one functional group per molecule, in a water immiscible organic carrier liquid which has a boiling point below that of water; (b) admixing under high shear conditions said dispersion with an aqueous medium which has dispersed therein a particulate stabilizer to produce a suspension of micron-sized droplets of said dispersion in said aqueous medium; (c) stirring said suspension while evaporating therefrom said organic carrier liquid to produce solid particles comprised of a polymer matrix wherein said pigment is dispersed in interior regions of said particles; and (d) separating and drying said particles.

Claim 10

The process of claim 7 wherein said solid particles have a particle size in the range of about 1 to about 100 microns.

Claim 11

The process of claim 7 wherein a charge control agent is admixed with said dispersion.

Claim 12

The process of claim 7 wherein said pigment dispersion is soluble in said carrier liquid.

Claim 13

The process of claim 7 wherein said pigment is a carbon black.