JPH07104499A - Recycling method for image carrier - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a recycled paper sheet reusable for a copying or printing process, and a copying and printing paper sheet allowing the recycle thereof by recycling a copying or printing paper sheet via the cleaning of a commercially available ordinary PPC copy image and a PPC printing image, as well as the cleaning of copied and printed images on a special paper sheet (erasable paper). CONSTITUTION:Water solution containing an interfacial active agent is retained on an image carrier at least partly formed out of a chartaceous layer mainly composed of cellulose fiber with a hydrophobic image of thermo-flexible ink (toner) formed in the layer. Then, an image separator is bonded to the hydrophobic image under the application of heat or pressure for separating the hydrophobic image from the chartaceous layer. This recycling method for an image carrier features that the interfacial active agent is a polyoxyalkylene alkylphenyl ether or polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether type nonionic interfacial active agent.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a thermal flexible ink (toner) for a paper layer.
The present invention relates to a method for reproducing an image support from an image holding support having an image formed thereon, for example, a method for reproducing and reusing a copy sheet carrying an image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Due to recent OA, printer paper and copying paper have come to be used in large quantities. Therefore, the problem of deteriorating the global environment due to deforestation has come to be caused. Conventionally, the only solution to this problem is to remove the ink, etc. on the used paper, soak it again, and reuse it to recycle it into the so-called waste paper. However, recently, a method has been developed in which a character image on a used paper can be removed by cleaning and reused for copying or printing. For example, such a method is described in the following publications. (1) Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4-64472: A release agent such as a silicone sealant is applied to the surface of an unused copy paper and dried to prepare a copy reproduction paper, and then an image forming copy is formed on the release agent application surface. I do. The image forming body is adhered to a heat-fusible resin (toner resin as an image forming component) to remove the image, and a copy reproduction sheet is prepared. However, according to this method, since the image is on the release agent, the fixing property naturally deteriorates. The toner is adhered to the image forming component toner resin, and the image is mechanically peeled off in a heated state. Therefore, the toner resin of the image component that has penetrated into the eyes of the paper fiber cannot be completely removed. Therefore, the regeneration efficiency is considered to be very poor. From the viewpoint of resource reuse, double-sided copying, that is, front and back double-sided copying of one copy sheet is important, and it is considered that it will become the mainstream in the future. Under such circumstances, the method of applying the release agent on one side becomes very inefficient. Even if a release agent is applied to both sides and dried, the silicone sealant will penetrate into the copy paper, resulting in a translucent copy paper. Therefore, double-sided copying becomes impossible (difficult to see). Erasable paper and plain paper must be distinguished and copied, which is inefficient. It is difficult to make a copy of a mixture of erasable paper and plain paper and in a state where it matches the actual situation. (2) JP-A-1-101576, JP-A-1-1015
No. 77: An image is removed from the image-formed support by immersing the image-formed support in an organic solvent that dissolves the image-forming toner resin on the image-formed support and subjecting it to ultrasonic treatment. . However, this method requires a large amount of the organic solvent in order to dissolve and remove the image-forming material in the organic solvent, the processing apparatus becomes large, and there are problems such as solvent reprocessing, flammability, toxicity and pollution. ,
There are difficulties in using it in general offices and homes. (3) JP-A-1-297294 As an image forming support, one formed of plastic, metal, paper having poor liquid permeability, ceramics or the like is used, and an image formed on the support is heat fusible. Although a cleaning method is described in which an image is peeled off from the support by heating with a peeling body interposed, a special paper (erasable paper) with a release treatment on the surface must be used, and currently a large amount is required. There is a drawback that it cannot be applied to general copying paper and printing paper used in.

[0003]

[Purpose] The basic methods of electrostatic electronic copying machines are classified into three methods, electrofax, xerography, and NP, but since electrophotographic methods require photosensitive paper for copying, plain paper can now be used. This is the mainstream method, especially the xerographic method. A plain paper copier (PPC) is characterized in that there are no restrictions on the copy paper, the running cost is low due to the use of plain paper, and the copying speed can be easily increased. The object of the present invention is not only to clean copy images and printing images on special paper (erasable paper) but also to use the ordinary PP as described above which is currently used in the market.
C Copy image, PPC Printing image cleaning by copying or recycling printing paper,
An object of the present invention is to provide recycled paper that can be reused for copying or printing and reproducible copying and printing paper.

[0004]

[Structure] The feature of the present invention is to remove only an image from a paper-like layer in a state where an image-holding support is moistened with an aqueous solution containing a specific surfactant, and to recycle and reuse the image support as it is. Especially. That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, at least a part of the support is composed of a paper-like layer containing cellulose fibers as a main component, and the paper layer is provided with a thermo-flexible ink (toner).
After the aqueous solution containing the surfactant is held on the image holding support on which the image formed by the above is formed, the hydrophobic image and the image peeling body are heat-bonded or pressure-bonded in the liquid holding state. In the method of regenerating an image support by which a hydrophobic image is peeled from a paper-like layer, the surfactant is a polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether or polyoxyethylene alkyl ether type nonionic surfactant. The method of reproducing the image support.
A second aspect of the present invention is that the polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether has an ethylene oxide addition mole number of 5 to
No. 12, which is the method for regenerating the first image support using a nonionic surfactant which is a phenolic ethylene oxide adduct. A third aspect of the present invention uses the nonionic surfactant, wherein the polyoxyethylene alkyl ether is a linear or branched higher alcohol-based ethylene oxide adduct having an ethylene oxide addition mole number of 7 to 12. The method of reproducing the image support. A fourth aspect of the present invention is the method for regenerating the first image support, wherein the aqueous solution containing the surfactant contains a chelating agent. A fifth aspect of the present invention is the method for regenerating the first image support, wherein the aqueous solution containing the surfactant contains a fluorescent whitening agent or a bluing dye.

Examples of the image support of the present invention include copying or printing papers mainly composed of a paper-like layer containing cellulose fibers as a main component, and the support must be composed entirely of paper layers. Alternatively, the layer on which the image formed by the hot-melt ink is held may be a paper layer, and may be, for example, a laminate of a paper layer and a plastic layer.

In the present invention, in order to rapidly wet the inside of the image-bearing paper with water, in particular, polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether or polyoxyethylene alkyl ether is used as the nonionic surfactant. There is one of the characteristics. The polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether is preferably an alkylphenol, for example, a phenolic ethylene oxide adduct having a molar number of ethylene oxide addition of nonylphenol or octylphenol of 5 to 12. As the polyoxyethylene alkyl ether, higher alcohols such as octyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol, or secondary higher alcohols having a higher ethylene oxide addition mole number of 7 to 12 are preferred. If the ethylene oxide addition mole number is too small, the water solubility is poor and the penetrating power is small. On the contrary, if the amount is too large, the hydrophilicity becomes too large and the penetrating force becomes small. These surfactants have the characteristics that they have a strong penetrating power and a low critical micelle concentration, and that they do not lose their activity even at low concentrations. The aqueous solution of these surfactants has a surfactant addition amount of 0.001 to 0.001.
The range is 5.0% by weight, preferably 0.1 to 2.0% by weight.

One of the other characteristics of the present invention is that a chelating agent is mixed in the aqueous surfactant solution. Examples of the chelating agent contained in the aqueous solution include ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, hydroxyethylethylenediaminetriacetic acid, and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid. A part of the image may be slightly dissolved in the aqueous solution when the image is peeled off by the aqueous solution of the surfactant. In the case of a toner image, the colorant is mainly carbon, but it contains a small amount of a colored polarity control agent, and a dye may be added in a small amount in order to adjust the color tone. A part of the polarity control agent and the dye is dissolved, and this is prevented by blending the chelating agent with the aqueous surfactant solution. If the amount of the chelating agent added is 1% or less, the object can be sufficiently achieved.

Another feature of the present invention is to add a fluorescent whitening agent or a bluing dye to an aqueous solution of a surfactant in order to improve the whiteness of the paper after peeling. As the fluorescent whitening agent, a fluorescent whitening agent composed of a derivative such as stilbene or diaminostilbene sulfonic acid is used, and the addition amount is 0.
It is preferable that the content thereof be about 0 to 1%. Examples of bluing dyes include methyl violet, methylene blue, and crystal violet. Methyl violet is particularly used, and the addition amount is about 0.0001 to 0.001%.

As the toner component resin of the thermo-flexible ink removed in the present invention, polystyrene, acrylic resin, methacrylic resin, styrene-butyl acrylic copolymer, styrene-butadiene copolymer, polyester, epoxy resin and the like are used. Can be mentioned. In general, an image formed by a thermo-flexible ink is adhered to the surface of paper in a fused state and does not penetrate deep into the paper. Further, generally, when paper is moistened with an aqueous solution, so-called stiffness becomes weak. At this time, the adhesiveness between the hydrophobic heat-meltable ink held on the paper layer and the paper layer is very weak. Therefore, by moistening the image support, which holds the image formed by the heat-flexible ink, with the aqueous solution of the surfactant containing the nonionic surfactant, the heat-meltable ink and the paper layer are separated. Since the adhesiveness at the boundary surface becomes weaker and the paper surface in the non-image area has a lower adhesiveness to the peeling body, in such a state, a feeling of having an appropriate peeling means, for example, a heat-compression rubber roller or an adhesive layer. By using a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, etc., the image can be easily removed from the paper layer without damaging the paper layer such as the removal of paper fibers, and an efficient and high-quality image support can be reproduced. it can.

[0010]

The present invention will be described below with reference to examples. In addition,
Unless otherwise specified, "%" is based on weight.

Example 1 A normal PPC copying machine (IMAGIO 320 manufactured by Ricoh Co., Ltd.)
A copy image paper on which an image was formed by FPI (trade name) was dipped in an aqueous solution containing 0.3% of a nonionic surfactant, nonylphenol ethylene oxide 7 mol adduct.
The permeation rate of the aqueous solution was fast, and the entire solution permeated in about 1 second. Immediately, a heated rubber roller is pressure-bonded to the copy image surface, and the copy paper is peeled off from the pressure-bonded rubber roller. It was obtained in a dry state as a plain paper sheet having no wrinkles and no image. When this sheet was reused as a copy sheet in a PPC copying machine, a clear copy image could be obtained. The above operation was repeated 5 times, but a copy image of the same quality as the copy paper before reproduction was obtained.

Example 2 PPC copier (RICOPY GT 20 manufactured by Ricoh Co., Ltd.
The image was removed in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the copy image paper on which the image was prepared in 0) was replaced with the nonylphenol ethylene oxide 7 mol adduct of Example 1 and lauryl alcohol ethylene oxide 10 mol adduct was used. As a result, the same recycled paper as in Example 1 was obtained. Similar results were obtained with repeated regeneration.

Example 3 Lauryl alcohol ethylene oxide 10 of Example 2
When the image was removed in the same manner as in Example 2 except that 12 mol adduct of tridecane-7-ol ethylene oxide was used in place of the mol adduct, the permeability was high and the image peeling property was high.
Similar results were obtained with repeated regeneration.

Example 4 0.5% of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid as a chelating agent was added to the treatment liquid of Example 3 to remove the image formed on the surface of the copy paper in the same manner as in Example 1. Treatment with a coloring matter No stain of liquid was observed, and recycled paper similar to the initial one was obtained even after repeated use.

Example 5 Example 4 was used in which an image was formed using recycled paper (manufactured by Ricoh Co., Ltd .: paper source, trade name) with a PPC copier (Riccopy FT 6960L manufactured by Ricoh Co. Ltd.). 4,4'-diaminostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid derivative (Bayer) as a fluorescent whitening agent.
AG: BLANKOPHOR Z-PSG, trade name)
When the image peeling treatment on the copy paper surface was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1 except that 0.5% was added, recycled paper with improved whiteness was obtained. Was not observed.

Example 6 A copying image sheet was impregnated between sponge rubber rollers containing an aqueous solution containing 0.0005% of methyl violet as a bluing dye instead of the fluorescent whitening agent of Example 5, and then the image surface was impregnated. Sellotape (Nichiban, trade name)
When the copied image is peeled off after pressure contacting the adhesive surface of, the image formed on the paper surface is transferred cleanly from the paper surface to the adhesive surface of cellophane tape, and a plain white paper sheet with no image is obtained. It was When this sheet was reused as a copy sheet in a PPC copying machine, a clear copy image could be obtained. The above operation was repeated 5 times, but no deterioration in quality due to reproduction was observed.

Comparative Example 1 In the same manner as in Example 1, except that the nonionic surfactant nonylphenol ethylene oxide 7 mol adduct in Example 1 was replaced with the ethylene oxide adduct moles 3 and 14, respectively. When the copied image was removed by using the above method, defective peeling of the image was observed in both cases.

Comparative Example 2 In the same manner as in Example 2 except that the 10-mol addition product of lauryl alcohol and ethylene oxide in Example 2 were replaced by the treatment liquids containing ethylene oxide addition mol numbers of 5 and 14, respectively, a copy image was obtained. When it was removed, when the ethylene oxide addition mole number was small, the solubility in water decreased, and when it was too high, the hydrophilicity became too large and the penetrating power became small, and the peeling of the image was poor in both cases. .

[0019]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, an image holding support having at least a part thereof composed of a paper-like layer containing cellulose fibers as a main component and forming an image of a thermo-flexible ink (toner) on the paper layer. Further, the image can be easily and sufficiently removed without damaging the paper layer, and the processing solution can be repeatedly used without deterioration of the processing solution. High quality recycled paper was provided.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image carrier in which at least a part of a support is composed of a paper-like layer containing cellulose fibers as a main component, and a hydrophobic image composed of a thermoflexible ink (toner) is formed on the paper-like layer. After holding the aqueous solution containing the surfactant on the support, the hydrophobic image is peeled from the paper-based layer by heat-bonding or pressure-bonding the hydrophobic image and the image peeling body in the liquid holding state. The method of reproducing an image support according to claim 1, wherein the surfactant is a polyoxyalkylene alkyl phenyl ether or polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether type nonionic surfactant. 2. A polyoxyalkylene alkyl phenyl ether having an ethylene oxide addition mole number of 5 to 12
2. The method for regenerating an image support according to claim 1, wherein a nonionic surfactant which is a phenol-based ethylene oxide adduct of is used. 3. The image support according to claim 1, wherein the polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether is a nonionic surfactant which is a linear or branched higher alcohol-based ethylene oxide adduct having an ethylene oxide addition mole number of 7 to 12. How to regenerate the body. 4. The method for regenerating an image support according to claim 1, wherein the aqueous solution containing a surfactant contains a chelating agent. 5. The method for regenerating an image support according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the aqueous solution containing a surfactant contains a fluorescent whitening agent and / or a bluing dye.