Microscopic analysis of color toner gloss and a comparison of optical gloss level

Abstract

Laser printer monochrome black print quality has been popular “Glossless”. So, there was focused on “Glossless” printing in the design toner materials, fusing systems, and toner developer units. Recently, laser full color printing is getting popular in the office. Simultaneously “high gloss” print quality is more desirable than before. The reason could be that people are now printing picture images by laser printer. As with ink jet printers, people like glossy print quality similar to traditional silver halide pictures. In the past, there were many reports about “gloss” image analysis such as; toner materials (wax, resin), fusing system with developing system optimization, gloss measurement method and so on. And it is commonly thought that to improve print quality one needs to increase “gloss” of laser printer printed images. But is it really true? This report will discuss “how important gloss is to print quality”. Using microscopic analysis by SEM, combined with traditional gloss measurement methods such as semi gloss 60°, mechanical surface analysis such as Ra, and human impression of print quality. Results will be discussed and summarized including the design of a printing process with a view toward optimization of image gloss.