Phosphorescent toner and methods of forming and using the same

摘要

A toner composition including at least one phosphorescent pigment that absorbs energy released by natural or artificial light, and is able to be seen in a dark environment through luminescence of a certain color created by the energy released as light, and a method of forming and using the toner are described. The phosphorescent toner has a particle size in the range of about 15-40 microns, which allows the toner to have the ability to absorb and then release the needed amount of light energy to be noticeable in a dark environment.

主权项

1. A phosphorescent toner for producing a phosphorescent image on a substrate by an electrophotographic process, the phosphorescent toner comprising:
a total amount of thermoplastic resin binder; and an uncoated phosphorescent pigment for forming a phosphorescent image on the substrate, the uncoated phosphorescent pigment having been melt-blended with the total amount of the thermoplastic resin binder in a single melt-mix process and micronized after the single melt-mix process, the uncoated phosphorescent pigment comprising a material selected from a group consisting of calcium sulfide, zinc sulfide, strontium aluminate, strontium aluminate oxide, other alkaline earth aluminates and alkaline earth metal aluminate oxides, phosphors represented by the general formula: MO.mAl2O3:Eu2+,R3+, wherein m is a number ranging from about 1.6 to about 2.2, M is Sr or a combination of Sr with Ca and Ba or both, R3+ is a trivalent metal ion or trivalent Bi or a mixture of these trivalent ions, Eu2+ is present at a level up to about 5 mol % of M, and R3+ is present at a level up to about 5 mol % of M, and combinations of the materials, wherein the phosphorescent toner has an average particle size in the range of about 15 μm to about 55 μm after micronization.