Polymerization process and toner compositions therefrom

Claim 2

A toner composition comprised of pigment particles, and resin comprised of at least one polymer or copolymer obtained by a free radical polymerization process comprising: heating a mixture of a free radical initiator, a stable free radical agent, and at least one polymerizable monomer compound to form said polymer or copolymer with a high monomer to polymer conversion; cooling said mixture; optionally isolating said polymer or copolymer; and optionally washing and drying said polymer or copolymer.

Claim 3

A toner composition comprised of pigment particles, and at least one resin obtained from the polymerization process comprising: heating a first mixture comprised of a free radical initiator, a stable free radical agent, and at least one polymerizable monomer compound to form a first intermediate product resin; optionally cooling said first mixture; adding to said first intermediate product resin a second mixture comprised of a free radical initiator, a stable free radical agent, and at least one polymerizable monomer compound, wherein said polymerizable monomer compound of said second mixture contains the same monomer components as said polymerizable monomer compound of said first mixture, and said free radical initiator and said stable free radical agent of said second mixture are the same or different from said free radical initiator and said stable free radical agent of said first mixture, and wherein there is formed a combined mixture; heating said combined mixture to form a third mixture comprised of a mixture of thermoplastic resins comprised of a first product resin formed from said first intermediate product resin and added said second monomer and a second product resin formed from substantially only said second monomer; cooling said third mixture; optionally isolating said mixture of thermoplastic product resins from said third mixture; and optionally washing and drying said mixture of thermoplastic resins and wherein said first product resin and said second product resin each possess a narrow polydispersity of about 1 to about 2.

Claim 4

A toner composition comprised of pigment particles, and at least one resin obtained from the polymerization process comprising: heating a first mixture comprised of a free radical initiator, a stable free radical agent, and at least one polymerizable monomer compound to form a first intermediate product resin; optionally cooling said first mixture; adding to said first intermediate product resin a second mixture comprised of a free radical initiator, a stable free radical agent, and at least one polymerizable monomer compound, wherein said polymerizable monomer compound of said second mixture contains the same monomer components as said polymerizable monomer compound of said first mixture, and said free radical initiator and said stable free radical agent of said second mixture are the same or different from said free radical initiator and said stable free radical agent of said first mixture, and wherein there is formed a combined mixture; heating said combined mixture to form a third mixture comprised of a mixture of thermoplastic resins comprised of a first product resin formed from said first intermediate product resin and added said second monomer and a second product resin formed from substantially only said second monomer; cooling said third mixture; optionally isolating said mixture of thermoplastic product resins from said third mixture; and optionally washing and drying said mixture of thermoplastic resins and wherein said first product resin and said second product resin each possess a narrow polydispersity of about 1 to about 2.

Claim 5

The toner composition in accordance with claim 2 wherein said at least one resin is a mixture comprised of a high and a low molecular weight average resin each with a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of from about 10,000 to about 200,000, a number average molecular weight (Mn) of from about 9,000 to about 100,000, and a polydispersity of about 1.1 to about 2.0.

Claim 6

The toner in accordance with claim 2 wherein a reaction does not occur between the free radical initiator and the stable free radical.

Claim 7

The toner in accordance with claim 2 wherein the stable free radical agent is of 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy and the free radical initiator is benzoyl peroxide.

Claim 8

The toner in accordance with claim 2 wherein cooling the ultimate mixture to below about 100° C. is accomplished by heating termination.

Claim 9

The toner in accordance with claim 2 wherein each said resin has a polydispersity of about 1.0 to about 1.45.

Claim 10

The toner in accordance with claim 1 wherein a plurality of resins are selected.

Claim 11

The toner in accordance with claim 1 wherein a single resin type is selected.

Claim 12

The toner in accordance with claim 1 wherein the resin has a free radical initiator molecular fragment at one end and stable free radical agent covalently bonded at the other end of the resin.

Claim 13

A toner composition comprised of pigment particles, and a resin comprised of at least one resin obtained from the polymerization process comprising: heating a first mixture comprised of a free radical initiator, a stable free radical agent, and at least one polymerizable monomer compound to form a first intermediate product resin; optionally cooling said first mixture; optionally isolating said first intermediate product resin; adding to said first intermediate product resin a second mixture comprised of at least one polymerizable monomer compound, wherein said polymerizable monomer compound of said second mixture is different from said polymerizable monomer compound of said first mixture, to form a combined mixture; heating said combined mixture to form a third mixture comprised of a block copolymer thermoplastic resin comprised of a first product resin formed from said first intermediate product resin and added said second monomer; cooling said third mixture containing said block copolymer thermoplastic resin; optionally isolating said block copolymer thermoplastic resin from said third mixture; and optionally washing and drying said block copolymer thermoplastic resin wherein said block copolymer thermoplastic resin possesses a narrow polydispersity of about 1 to about 2.

Claim 14

A toner composition comprised of pigment particles, and a resin comprised of at least one resin obtained from the polymerization process comprising: heating a first mixture comprised of a free radical initiator, a stable free radical agent, and at least one polymerizable monomer compound to form a first intermediate product resin; optionally cooling said first mixture; optionally isolating said first intermediate product resin; adding to said first intermediate product resin a second mixture comprised of at least one polymerizable monomer compound, wherein said polymerizable monomer compound of said second mixture is different from said polymerizable monomer compound of said first mixture, to form a combined mixture; heating said combined mixture to form a third mixture comprised of a block copolymer thermoplastic resin comprised of a first product resin formed from said first intermediate product resin and added said second monomer; cooling said third mixture containing said block copolymer thermoplastic resin; optionally isolating said block copolymer thermoplastic resin from said third mixture; and optionally washing and drying said block copolymer thermoplastic resin wherein said block copolymer thermoplastic resin possesses a narrow polydispersity of about 1 to about 2.

Claim 15

A toner composition in accordance with claim 11 wherein said block copolymer resin possesses a weight average molecular weight (M w ) of from about 10,000 to 200,000, a number average molecular weight (M n ) of from about 9,000 to about 100,000 and a polydispersity of about 1.1 to about 1.5.

Claim 16

The toner in accordance with claim 11 wherein cooling to below about 100° C. is accomplished by heating termination and wherein the ultimate mixture attains a temperature of about 25° C. thereafter.

Claim 17

A process for the preparation of toner, which comprises heating at a temperature of from about 100 to about 160° C. a mixture of free radical initiator, stable free radical agent, pigment, and a least one monomer component, to provide said toner comprised of resin and pigment, and which resin has a polydispersity of from about 1.1 to about 2, and wherein the monomer to resin conversion is at least about 50 percent.

Claim 18

A process for the preparation of toner, which comprises heating at a temperature of from about 100 to about 160° C. a mixture of free radical initiator, stable free radical agent, pigment, and a least one monomer component, to provide said toner comprised of resin and pigment, and which resin has a polydispersity of from about 1.1 to about 2, and wherein the monomer to resin conversion is at least about 50 percent.

Claim 19

A process in accordance with claim 14 wherein a reaction product does not form directly between the free radical initiator and the stable free radical agent.

Claim 20

A process for the preparation of developer comprising heating at a temperature of from about 100 to about 160° C. a mixture of free radical initiator, stable free radical agent, pigment, and a least one monomer component to form a toner resin, which resin has a polydispersity of from about 1.1 to about 2, and the monomer to resin conversion is at least about 50 percent; and thereafter mixing said resin with carrier particles, to afford said developer.

Claim 21

A process for the preparation of developer comprising heating at a temperature of from about 100 to about 160° C. a mixture of free radical initiator, stable free radical agent, pigment, and a least one monomer component to form a toner resin, which resin has a polydispersity of from about 1.1 to about 2, and the monomer to resin conversion is at least about 50 percent; and thereafter mixing said resin with carrier particles, to afford said developer.