JP2009048067A - Method for producing toner feed roller, and toner feed roller - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a toner feed roller having excellent cell opening stability without requiring a complicated process, and to provide a method for producing the same. <P>SOLUTION: The method for producing the toner feed roller having a core bar and at least one or more polyurethane foam layers formed on the core bar, has a stage where the polyurethane foam layer(s) is foamed and molded within a die whose inside is coated with a water base mold releasing agent with the maximum particle diameter of ≤2 μm containing wax and a surfactant. The melting point of the wax is 50 to 120°C, and the surfactant is at least one kind selected from the group consisting of a nonionic surfactant and an ionic surfactant. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a toner supply roller having a foamed elastic layer. A toner supply roller supplies toner (developer) to an image forming body such as a photoconductor or paper and forms a visible image on the surface of the image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or a facsimile. Used to supply

  With the advancement of electrophotographic technology, image forming apparatuses such as dry electrophotographic apparatuses are made of a polymer material having rubber elasticity as a component member used for charging, developing, transferring, toner supplying, etc. Including members are attracting attention. This member is used in the form of a roller such as a charging roller, a developing roller, a transfer roller, or a toner supply roller.

  In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for images in computers that handle images in a digitized manner. Accordingly, higher definition and higher quality images are required, and further improvements in color images and electrophotographic images are required. As a member made of a polymer material having rubber elasticity used for these purposes, a polymer elastomer such as rubber or polyurethane or a foam is usually used. For this member, in order to reduce stress on the toner and to improve the image quality of the reproduced image, the application of a low-hardness foamed elastic material, particularly polyurethane foam, has been increasing. When the polyurethane foam is used for an elastic member for an image forming apparatus such as a toner supply roller, it is low in hardness and has a good opening of the surface cell, good dimensional accuracy of the outer shape, fuzz on the surface, scratches, voids And the like, and low cost is required.

  As a manufacturing method of a roller having cells opened on the roller surface, there is a mold forming.

  In order to facilitate demolding of a molded product from a mold during molding, a release agent is generally applied to the inner surface of the mold in advance. Conventionally used release agents include fluororesin coats and wax release agents.

In addition, a method of using an aqueous release agent (emulsion) containing water as a base and containing silicone oil, fluorine compound, wax or the like as a release component has also been proposed (see Patent Document 1). According to this method, a roller excellent in moldability such as cell opening property and mold release property can be obtained.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-234017

  However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, when silicone oil or wax as a release component is emulsified with a surfactant, the particle size varies depending on the emulsified state, and the emulsified particles aggregate to increase the particle size. It may become. In such a case, the water-based release agent may not be uniformly applied, and the openability of the surface cell may be reduced.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a toner supply roller having excellent cell opening stability and a manufacturing method thereof without requiring a complicated process. .

According to the present invention, in a method for producing a toner supply roller having a cored bar and at least one polyurethane foam layer formed on the cored bar,
A step of foam-molding the polyurethane foam layer in a mold containing a wax and a surfactant and having an aqueous release agent having a maximum particle size of 2 μm or less applied inside;
The melting point of the wax is 50 ° C. or higher and 120 ° C. or lower,
There is provided a method for producing a toner supply roller, wherein the surfactant is at least one selected from the group consisting of a nonionic surfactant and an ionic surfactant.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a toner supply roller produced by the above-described method for producing a toner supply roller, wherein the polyurethane foam layer has a surface cell opening ratio of 60% or more and 90% or less.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a toner supply roller excellent in cell opening stability and a manufacturing method thereof without requiring a complicated process.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

  The method for producing a toner supply roller of the present invention relates to a method for producing a toner supply roller having a cored bar and at least one polyurethane foam layer formed on the cored bar. This method includes a step of foam-molding a polyurethane foam layer in a mold in which a specific aqueous release agent is applied on the inside.

  The aqueous release agent used in the present invention contains one or more waxes and one or more surfactants. The maximum particle size of the aqueous release agent is 2 μm or less.

  When the maximum particle size exceeds 2 μm, the stability of the water-based mold release agent is lowered, and uniform application to the mold becomes difficult, and the opening stability of the surface cell is lowered. From this viewpoint, it is preferable that the maximum particle size of the aqueous release agent is 1 μm or less.

〔wax〕
The melting point of the wax is 50 ° C. or higher and 120 ° C. or lower. The melting point of the wax is preferably 50 ° C. or higher and 100 ° C. or lower. When emulsifying a wax, first, the wax is first melted to form a liquid, and a surfactant is mixed to emulsify. Therefore, when the melting point of the wax exceeds 120 ° C., it is difficult to adjust the particle size as defined in the present invention because the wax cannot be sufficiently melted or the emulsion stability is inferior even if it can be sufficiently melted. It is. Further, if it is lower than 50 ° C., the wax film when the release agent is applied to the mold may be peeled off from the mold.

  In particular, the melting point of the wax is preferably equal to or higher than the mold temperature when the inside of the mold is filled with polyurethane foam (during foam molding). This is because if the melting point of the wax is equal to or higher than the mold temperature at the time of foam molding, the wax can be prevented from being dissolved at the time of molding. As a result, the wax dissolved in the urethane material is prevented from entering and abnormal foaming is prevented, the surface of the urethane foam is prevented from being roughened, and uniform cells can be easily obtained.

  As the wax as the aqueous release agent component, a wax having a melting point in the above range can be appropriately selected from various conventionally known waxes. As the wax, at least one selected from the group consisting of natural wax and synthetic wax can be used. For example, natural or synthetic waxes such as montan wax, montanic acid ester wax, microcrystalline wax, paraffin wax, carnauba wax, bees wax and polyethylene wax can be used. These can be used alone or in combination of two or more. These wax components have no or little reactivity with the urethane raw material, and therefore do not affect the raw material during polyurethane foam molding.

  When a plurality of types of waxes are used, the melting point of the wax composition obtained by mixing all the waxes used (mixed at a mass ratio in the aqueous release agent) is set to 50 ° C. or more and 120 ° C. or less.

[Surfactant]
A surfactant (functioning as an emulsifier or dispersant) is used to emulsify and disperse the aqueous release agent component. Only one surfactant may be used, or two or more surfactants may be used in combination.

  As the surfactant, one type or two or more types selected from the group consisting of a nonionic surfactant and an ionic surfactant are used. By using these surfactants, the aqueous release agent component can be dissolved and dispersed in water more stably.

  There is an HLB value (hydrophilic / lipophilic balance) as a value representing the degree of affinity of a surfactant with water and oil (an organic compound insoluble in water). The HLB value is a value from 0 to 20, and the closer to 0, the higher the lipophilicity, and the closer to 20, the higher the hydrophilicity. Several methods for determining the HLB value by calculation have been proposed. For example, the Griffin method is defined as follows.

  The HLB value of these surfactants is preferably 1 or more and 19 or less. When the HLB value of the surfactant is 1 or more, the surfactant is easily dispersed in water. Moreover, when the HLB value of the surfactant is 19 or less, it is possible to prevent water droplets from becoming a water-in-oil (O / W) emulsion in which oil is dispersed in oil, and the surfactant can be uniformly dispersed in water. Easy. The HLB value of the surfactant is more preferably 3 or more and 16 or less.

  Nonionic surfactants include polyoxyethylene higher alcohol ether, polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether, sorbitan monoalkylate, sorbitan trialchelate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monoalkylate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan trialchelate, polyoxyethylene sorbitol Examples include tetraalkylate and glycerol monoalkylate.

  In addition, ionic surfactants include anionic, cationic and amphoteric surfactants. These anionic surfactants include sodium lauryl sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, sodium dodecyl sulfate, sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, dialkyl sulfosuccinate. Sodium sulfate, potassium alkyl phosphate, sodium polyoxyethylene lauryl ether sulfate, sodium polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether sulfate, sodium polyoxyethylene tridecyl ether sulfate, etc. are cationic surfactants such as cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, stearyltrimethyl. Ammonium chloride, lauryltrimethylammonium chloride, stearylamine hydrochloride, coconutamine hydrochloride, coconut Min acetate, stearylamine acetate, etc. alkylbenzene dimethyl ammonium chloride are exemplified.

  Further, the amphoteric surfactants include N-acylamidopropyl-N, N-dimethylammoniobetaines, N-acylamidopropyl-N, N′-dimethyl-N′-β-hydroxypropylammoniobetaines. Examples are shown.

  The content of the surfactant in the solid content of the aqueous release agent is preferably in the range of 0.5% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less, and more preferably in the range of 1% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less. preferable. When the content of the surfactant is 0.5% by mass or more in the aqueous release agent, it is easy to emulsify and disperse and it is possible to easily prevent the particle size from increasing. It can prevent easily that the viscosity of an emulsion composition becomes it high that content of surfactant is 30 mass% or less, and workability | operativity is impaired.

  The water-based release agent (emulsified composition) varies in particle size depending on the HLB value of the surfactant, the production (emulsification) conditions, and the like. The particle size of the water-based mold release agent largely depends on the HLB value of the surfactant. Therefore, a surfactant (HLB value) is appropriately selected in order to obtain a target particle size. However, even when there is some variation in the HLB value of the surfactant, it is possible to adjust the particle size according to the production conditions. By selecting the surfactant and adjusting the production conditions, the maximum particle size of the aqueous release agent can be reduced to 2 μm or less. In addition, although the particle size here means at least the particle size of the wax, when silicone or the like is mixed and the emulsified particles exist, it also means the particle size of the emulsified particles.

  In addition, the obtained water-based mold release agent may cause aggregation (enlargement of particle size) of particles depending on conditions such as temperature and storage period. In such a case, the maximum particle size of the aqueous release agent may exceed 2 μm. Therefore, it is preferable to manage and use the aqueous release agent in a state where the maximum particle size of the aqueous release agent is 1 μm or less. Examples of a method for making the particles less likely to aggregate include managing and using an aqueous release agent in a state of 0 ° C. or higher and lower than 40 ° C.

[Other ingredients]
In the aqueous release agent of the present invention, in addition to the above components, other additives such as silicone oil, an emulsifying and dispersing aid, and a fluorine-based compound can be appropriately used as necessary.

  The silicone oil is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately selected from conventionally known various silicone oils. Examples of the silicone oil used in the present invention include polysiloxanes having an alkyl group, a phonyl group or a fluoroalkyl group in the side chain, and two or more of these silicone oils may be used in combination as desired. Further, these silicone oils may contain additives such as silicone resins.

  The viscosity of the silicone oil at 25 ° C. is preferably 1 Pa · s or more and less than 100,000 Pa · s, and more preferably 10 Pa · s or more and less than 10,000 Pa · s. When the viscosity is within these ranges, it is possible to more effectively improve the applicability of the water-based mold release agent to the mold.

  As the emulsifying and dispersing aid, a low-boiling aqueous polar organic solvent having good drying properties, for example, methanol, ethanol, propanol, ethylene glycol dimethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran, dioxane, acetone or 2-butanone can be used as appropriate.

  Examples of fluorine compounds include fluorine-treated low molecular weight polyolefins or copolymers of olefins and tetrafluoroethylene, molten mixtures of low molecular weight olefins and polytetrafluoroethylene, and sulfonates of perfluoroalkenyl aryl ethers. And phosphonic acid derivatives, fluorine sulfonates and phosphonates, and condensed polycyclic compounds containing fluorine (for example, fluorinated pitch). These may be used alone or in combination of two or more thereof. .

  In order to improve the leveling property of the wax, an appropriate organic solvent such as cyclohexane may be appropriately blended with the water-based release agent. In addition to the above components, other additives such as antioxidants, alcohols, petroleum solvents, rust inhibitors, preservatives, antifoaming agents, thickeners, and the like can be appropriately added as necessary.

(Preparation of aqueous release agent)
When preparing an aqueous mold release agent, the blending of each component and the procedure for emulsification can be performed by a conventionally known method in the field of the aqueous mold release agent.

  For example, an aqueous release agent can be prepared as follows. First, at least one type of wax is sufficiently melted at a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of the wax, a predetermined surfactant is mixed, and an emulsion is prepared using a stirrer such as a homogenizer. Thereafter, the emulsion is diluted with water and adjusted to a predetermined solid content. In addition, for silicone oils and emulsions to be mixed as required, an emulsion is prepared using a stirrer such as a homogenizer with silicone oil mixed with a surfactant at room temperature, and then the emulsion is diluted with water. And adjust to a predetermined solid content.

[Method of applying water-based mold release agent in mold]
In order to apply the aqueous release agent to the mold, a conventionally known method may be used. For example, the release agent may be applied by dipping, spraying, brushing, or the like in the mold, or spraying after being aerosolized, or applying by soaking into a cloth. Thereafter, the water may be removed by evaporation.

[Toner supply roller]
In the present invention, the toner supply roller can include a cylindrical cored bar and a polyurethane foam layer provided around the cored bar except for both ends of the cored bar. The polyurethane foam layer is provided with a cell opening communicated from the inside to the surface thereof as necessary. In this case, the surface cell opening ratio is preferably 60% or more and 90% or less.

  It is easy to obtain a cell opening ratio in the above range by the method for producing a toner supply roller of the present invention using a specific aqueous release agent.

  The surface cell opening ratio is the ratio of the area of the opened portion (cell) to the total surface area. When the surface cell opening ratio is 60% or more, the toner conveyance amount is easily stabilized and it is easy to supply the toner uniformly. Further, from the viewpoint of ease of manufacture, it is preferable that the surface cell opening ratio of the toner supply roller is 90% or less.

  As the metal core, a conventional metal core for a toner supply roller can be used, and the outer diameter is preferably 2 mm or more and 10 mm or less. The material of the metal core is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a metal member obtained by plating a steel material such as sulfur free-cutting steel with nickel or the like, or a metal member such as aluminum, stainless steel, or magnesium alloy.

  The polyurethane foam layer can be formed from a urethane raw material containing a polyol and a polyisocyanate.

  There is no restriction | limiting in particular as a polyol, It can select and use suitably from conventionally well-known various polyols as a raw material of a polyurethane foam. For example, the polyol component constituting such a liquid polyurethane raw material is appropriately selected from known polyols such as polyether polyols, polyester polyols, and polymer polyols that are generally used in the production of flexible polyurethane foams. It may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

  Of the above polyols, the use of polyether polyol is suitable for producing a flexible and highly elastic polyurethane foam excellent in wet heat resistance. Furthermore, it is preferable to use a polyether polyol containing 5 mol% or more of ethylene oxide because of good moldability. Further, a prepolymer polymerized with polyisocyanate in advance may be used as a polyol.

  Moreover, there is no restriction | limiting in particular as polyisocyanate, It can select suitably from conventionally well-known various polyisocyanate as a raw material of a polyurethane foam, and can use it. For example 2,4- and 2,6-tolylene diisocyanate (TDI), tolidine diisocyanate (TODI), naphthylene diisocyanate (NDI), xylylene diisocyanate (XDI), 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), and carbodiimide Modified MDI, polymethylene polyphenyl polyisocyanate, polymeric polyisocyanate and the like may be used alone or in combination of two or more. In addition, the isocyanate group terminal prepolymer obtained by making polyisocyanate react with 1 type, or 2 or more types of a well-known active hydrogen compound can also be used as polyisocyanate.

  The NCO index of the polyurethane raw material is preferably 60 or more and 120 or less, and more preferably 70 or more and 100 or less. The NCO index is a value obtained by dividing the total number of isocyanate groups in the polyisocyanate by the total number of active hydrogens that react with the isocyanate groups, multiplied by 100. That is, when the number of active hydrogens reacting with an isocyanate group and the isocyanate group in the polyisocyanate are stoichiometrically equal, the NCO index is 100.

  Further, as other raw materials for polyurethane foam, they may be appropriately used as necessary, but the following examples are given.

  There is no restriction | limiting in particular as a catalyst, It can select from the conventionally well-known various catalysts suitably, and can be used. Conventionally known catalysts in the field of polyurethane foam production such as triethylenediamine, dimethylethanolamine, bis (dimethylamino) ethyl ether can be used.

  There is no restriction | limiting in particular as a foam stabilizer, It can select from the conventionally well-known various foam stabilizer in the field | area of polyurethane foam manufacture, and can use it. For example, silicone surfactants such as SRX-274C, L-5309, L-520, etc. (all trade names) manufactured by Toray Dow Corning Silicone may be used.

  Moreover, a crosslinking agent, a foaming agent (water, low boiling point, gas body, etc.), a foam breaker, etc. are added to the polyurethane raw material in which these polyol component and polyisocyanate component are blended in the same manner as in the past. Can do. At this time, the structure of the polyurethane foam layer after foam molding, that is, a known foaming composition that is easy to produce either an open-cell type or a closed-cell type is added, and a reactive foam raw material is added. Is done. In addition, known materials such as a conductivity-imparting agent and an antistatic agent for imparting desired conductivity may be added to such raw materials as necessary. A known material can be used as the conductivity-imparting agent. Examples of the conductivity-imparting agent include carbon black, graphite, conductive metal oxides such as titanium oxide and tin oxide, metals such as Cu and Ag, and conductive materials such as these. Examples thereof include particles obtained by coating a particle surface with a conductive material and making it conductive. These conductivity-imparting agents can be used alone or in combination. In particular, carbon black is preferable in that desired conductivity can be imparted by adding a relatively small amount (mass ratio). As other additives, flame retardants, thickeners, pigments, stabilizers, colorants, anti-aging agents, ultraviolet absorbers, antioxidants, antioxidants and the like can be blended as necessary. Examples of the crosslinking agent include conventionally known ones such as triethanolamine and diethanolamine.

  Furthermore, it is preferable to use the following combinations of polyisocyanates, polyols and foam stabilizers from the viewpoint of easy mixing operation and characteristics of the resulting polyurethane foam. That is, a combination of a mixture of diphenylmethane diisocyanate and TDI as a polyisocyanate, a polyether polyol as a polyol, and a water-soluble polyether siloxane as a foam stabilizer.

  The mold for molding the toner supply roller is not particularly limited, and can be used by appropriately selecting from conventionally known materials and shapes. For example, it is made of stainless steel such as SUS304, and vent holes (small holes communicating with the inside and outside of the mold having a hole diameter of about 1 mm provided to prevent gas from accumulating in the mold and causing thinning of the foam) And a pipe-shaped molding die having an uneven shape on the inner surface.

  The method for producing the toner supply roller of the present invention is not particularly limited except that foam molding is performed in a mold in which a specific aqueous release agent is applied on the inside, and a conventional method may be used. An example is as follows. First, a water-based mold release agent is contained in a mold and uniformly applied to a mold, and dried by heating to 50 ° C. or the like. The heat drying temperature is preferably less than the melting point of the release agent, and it is preferable to sufficiently dry the release agent application surface. Next, a urethane raw material is prepared by homogeneously mixing the polyether polyol, polyisocyanate, catalyst, foam stabilizer, water, and other auxiliaries used as required. And the polyurethane foam can be formed by inject | pouring the urethane raw material into a metal mold | die, heating and carrying out reaction hardening.

  The temperature and time for mixing the urethane raw material are not particularly limited, but the mixing temperature is usually in the range of 10 ° C. to 90 ° C., preferably 20 ° C. to 60 ° C., and the mixing time is usually It is 1 second or more and 10 minutes or less, preferably 3 seconds or more and 5 minutes or less.

  Further, when the urethane raw material is heated and reacted and cured, a polyurethane foam can be produced by foaming by a conventionally known method.

  The foaming method is not particularly limited, and any method such as a method using a foaming agent and a method of mixing bubbles by mechanical stirring can be used. The temperature of the mold during foaming is preferably 35 ° C. or higher and 100 ° C. or lower, and more preferably 40 ° C. or higher and 80 ° C. or lower. The expansion ratio may be determined as appropriate and is not particularly limited.

  The toner supply roller uses the polyurethane foam thus obtained. Usually, it is manufactured by coating a core metal having a diameter of 4 to 6 mm and a length of 200 to 400 mm made of iron plated or stainless steel with the polyurethane foam to form an elastic layer. be able to. Depending on the application, the outside may be painted with a conductive, semiconductive or insulating paint.

  The outer diameter of the toner supply roller of the present invention is not particularly limited, and may have various outer diameters depending on the purpose, but generally has an outer diameter of 10 mm or more and 20 mm or less.

  The method for joining the core metal and polyurethane foam is not particularly limited, but the core metal is previously placed inside the mold (molding mold), the polyurethane raw material is cast and cured, or the polyurethane foam is molded into a predetermined shape. Then, a method of adhering can be used. In either method, an adhesive layer can be provided between the cored bar and the polyurethane foam as necessary. As the adhesive layer, a known material such as an adhesive or a hot melt sheet can be used.

[Particle size in water-based release agent]
The particle size of the aqueous release agent of the present invention is measured using a Nikkiso Co., Ltd. MICROTRAC particle size distribution meter (9340UPA) (trade name). As a measuring method, first, the concentration of a water-based release agent was adjusted using ion-exchanged water so that the sample loading value of the measuring device was 0.10 to 10.00, and then the water-based releasing agent was added to the measuring device. Set the release agent and measure the particle size distribution. Since the particle size and the abundance thereof can be measured, the value of the maximum particle size is taken as the maximum particle size of the particles in the aqueous release agent. The refractive index of the wax at that time was 1.46, and the refractive index of water was 1.33.

  EXAMPLES Hereinafter, although an Example and a comparative example are shown and this invention is demonstrated concretely, this invention is not limited at all by these examples.

  In each Example and Comparative Example, first, an aqueous release agent was prepared at a blending ratio (mass ratio) shown in Table 1 or Table 2, respectively. In addition, the solid content ratio shown in the table means the ratio (mass%) of each material when the entire solid content is 100%.

  Thereafter, the storage environment of the aqueous release agent was changed to the maximum particle size and the average particle size shown in Table 1 or Table 2.

  Next, the aqueous release agent was diluted with ion-exchanged water and adjusted so that the solid content was 3% by mass. This aqueous release agent was applied to a cylindrical mold made of SUS304 having an inner diameter of 16 mm, and heated and dried at 50 ° C. for 20 minutes.

  Next, the polyol components (polyol, foam stabilizer, catalyst, water mixture) and polyisocyanate shown below were each adjusted to a liquid temperature of 25 ° C. Then, both liquids were blended so that the NCO index was 100, stirred for 5 seconds with a stirring blade, and then poured into a metal mold in which a metal core having a diameter of 5 mm and a length of 270 mm was previously attached at a predetermined position inside. It is. The temperature of the toner supply roller molding die was adjusted to 50 ° C., the raw material was cured in this die for 10 minutes, and the toner supply roller having an outer diameter of 16 mm was produced by taking out from the die. At this time, it took about 1 minute to fill the inside of the mold with polyurethane foam, and the mold temperature was 50 ° C. for all.

(Urethane raw material)
-Polyol component polyol: EP-828 (trade name, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals Polyurethane Co., Ltd.) ... 100 parts by mass.
Foam stabilizer: L-5366 (trade name, manufactured by Toray Dow Corning Silicone Co., Ltd.) ... 1 part by mass.
Catalyst: TOYOCAT-ET (trade name, manufactured by Tosoh Corporation) 0.1 mass part, and
TEDA-L33 (trade name, manufactured by Tosoh Corporation): 0.5 part by mass.
Water ... 2.0 parts by mass.
-Polyisocyanate Cosmonate TM50 (trade name, manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals Polyurethane Co., Ltd.) 29.8 parts by mass.

1) Paraffin (melting point: 50-52 ° C.) manufactured by Kishida Chemical Co., Ltd.
2) Polyethylene wax (melting point: 108-111 ° C.) manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.
3) Non-ionic surfactant (HLB = 10) manufactured by Lion Corporation
4) Lion Co., Ltd. ionic (nonionic) surfactant (HLB = 7)
5) Silicone oil (viscosity 5000 mm ² / s) manufactured by Toray Dow Corning Silicone Co., Ltd.
6) Silicone oil manufactured by Toray Dow Corning Silicone Co., Ltd. (viscosity 500mm ² / s)
7) Sodium fluorine sulfonate 8) Maximum particle size when measured using Nikkiso Co., Ltd. MICROTRAC particle size analyzer (9340UPA) (trade name).
9) Average particle size when measured using a Nikkiso Co., Ltd. MICROTRAC particle size analyzer (9340UPA) (trade name).
10) Melting point of wax component in release agent For example, in Example 1, melting point of wax obtained by mixing waxes A and B at a mass ratio of 30:20. In Example 2, since only wax B is used, the melting point of wax B.

For the measurement of the melting point, the molten wax component is poured into a test tube and the temperature is slowly lowered in a water bath. The temperature of the wax component is read every 15 seconds, and the temperature at which the temperature drop is within a certain range (when the difference within 0.1 ° C. lasts 5 times) is taken as the melting point.
11) About the cell opening of the obtained roller, the surface image was taken in using the real-time scanning laser microscope, the binarization process was performed by image analysis, and the surface cell opening ratio was calculated | required.

12) Each toner supply roller was incorporated into each toner cartridge of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black of a full-color laser beam printer (trade name: LBP-2510, manufactured by Canon Inc.). Using a full-color laser beam printer equipped with this cartridge, 4000 continuous text pages were output for a continuous durability test. Each color solid image was imaged after being allowed to stand for at least one night after the output was completed.

  Color loss means that no toner is supplied to an image. Density unevenness means that a solid image becomes non-uniform.

○: Good (no color loss or density unevenness)
×: Color loss or density unevenness occurred

  As can be seen from Tables 1 and 2, in Examples 1 to 5, stable cell opening can be obtained by using an aqueous release agent whose maximum particle size is adjusted to 2 μm or less. On the other hand, in Comparative Examples 1 to 5, because the water-based mold release agent having a maximum particle size exceeding 2 μm is used due to the aggregation of the mold release agent due to a small amount of surfactant or standing at high temperature, It is a result inferior to cell opening property. In Comparative Example 6, the silicone component dissolves in the material and inhibits the reaction, making it impossible to mold.

Claims (5)

In a method for producing a toner supply roller having a cored bar and at least one polyurethane foam layer formed on the cored bar,
A step of foam-molding the polyurethane foam layer in a mold containing a wax and a surfactant and having an aqueous release agent having a maximum particle size of 2 μm or less applied inside;
The melting point of the wax is 50 ° C. or higher and 120 ° C. or lower,
The method for producing a toner supply roller, wherein the surfactant is at least one selected from the group consisting of a nonionic surfactant and an ionic surfactant.   The method for producing a toner supply roller according to claim 1, wherein the melting point of the wax is equal to or higher than a mold temperature at the time of foam molding of the polyurethane foam layer.   The method for producing a toner supply roller according to claim 1, wherein the surfactant has an HLB value of 1 or more and 19 or less.   The toner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the content of the surfactant in the solid content of the aqueous release agent is 0.5% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less. Manufacturing method of supply roller.   A toner supply roller manufactured by the method for manufacturing a toner supply roller according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a surface cell opening ratio of the polyurethane foam layer is 60% or more and 90% or less. .