Abstract: To provide a method for producing particles, which contains: bringing a first compressive fluid and raw materials containing a pressure plastic material into contact with each other to melt the pressure plastic material; and jetting a melt obtained by melting the pressure plastic material, with supplying a second compressive fluid containing nitrogen to the melt, to thereby form particles.

Abstract: To provide a polymer product, which is substantially free from an organic solvent and a metal atom, and has a number average molecular weight of 12,000 or greater.

Abstract: An electrostatic image developing toner including a toner particle (C), wherein the toner particle (C) has a structure in which a resin particle (A) containing at least a first resin (a) or a coated film (P) containing the first resin (a) is attached to a surface of a resin-containing particle (B) containing a second resin (b), and wherein the resin (b) includes a polyhydroxycarboxylic acid skeleton, and the resin (a) is a polyester resin containing a polybasic acid and a polyhydric alcohol.

Abstract: A toner including: a first binder resin; a colorant; a releasing agent; and a crystalline organic compound, wherein the first binder resin contains an amorphous polyester resin (a) having a polyhydroxycarboxylic acid skeleton derived from optically active monomers in a part of a main chain of the amorphous polyester resin, and the polyhydroxycarboxylic acid skeleton has an optical purity X, calculated on the monomer basis, of 80% or less, and the optical purity X is determined from the equation, Optical Purity X (%)=|X(L-form)?X(D-form)| wherein the crystalline organic compound is any one of a crystalline polyester resin (b) and a crystalline low molecular compound having a melting point of 60° C. to 100° C., and being selected from a group consisting of fatty acid having 16 to 24 carbon atoms, alcohol having 16 to 24 carbon atoms, a fatty acid ester compound, and aliphatic carboxylic acid amide.

Abstract: A toner including a binder resin comprising a resin (a) comprising a polyhydroxycarboxylic acid skeleton formed from an optically-active monomer. The polyhydroxycarboxylic acid skeleton has a weight average molecular weight of from 7,000 to 60,000. The binder resin comprises the polyhydroxycarboxylic acid skeleton in an amount of from 10 to 90% by weight. The optical purity X (%) of the polyhydroxycarboxylic acid skeleton represented by the following formula is 80% or less: X(%)=|X(L-isomer)?X(D-isomer)| wherein X(L-isomer) and X(D-isomer) represent molar ratio (%) of L-isomer and D-isomer of the optically-active monomer, respectively.

Abstract: To provide a toner including: a resin particle (C) containing a first resin (a1), a second resin (a2), and a resin particle (B) to a surface of which the first resin (a1) and the second resin (a2) are attached, wherein the first resin (a1) and the second resin (a2) have mutually different glass transition temperatures, and wherein the resin particle (B) contains a third resin (b) having an amorphous polyhydroxycarboxylic acid skeleton.

Abstract: A toner including a colorant, a thermoplastic resin (a) comprising an amorphous polyester resin having a main chain having a polyhydroxycarboxylic acid skeleton, and a thermoplastic resin (b) is provided. The toner is manufactured by a method including mixing the colorant with the thermoplastic resin (a) to prepare a preliminary mixture, and mixing the preliminary mixture with the thermoplastic resin (b).

Abstract: A particle producing method is provided including bringing a material into contact with a compressible fluid to prepare a melt of the material, and discharging the melt from a vibrated through hole to form particles of the melt. A particle producing apparatus is also provided including a discharger to discharge the melt. The discharger includes a storage to store the melt, at least one through hole disposed on the storage, and a vibrator to vibrate the through hole. The particle producing apparatus further includes a particle forming member defining a space within which the discharged melt is formed into particles and a pressure controller controlling a pressure difference between the space and an inside of the storage so that the discharged melt is formed into a columnar melt and the columnar melt is constricted and separated into particles.

Abstract: A toner bearing member is provided which includes a conductive support, an insulation layer provided on the conductive support, multiple electrodes arranged at regular intervals on the insulation layer, a surface layer covering the multiple electrodes, comprising a polymerized compound having a specific unit, and a voltage applicator that applies a voltage between the conductive support and the multiple electrodes while periodically reversing an electric field generated therebetween.

Abstract: The developing device includes a developer charging member configured to charge a toner serving as a one developer; and a developer bearing member configured to bear and feed the charged toner while forming an electric field so that the toner hops. The developer bearing member includes an insulating substrate; plural electrodes arranged on the insulating substrate in a developer feeding direction to form the electric field; and an outermost layer covering the plural electrodes. The toner has a softening point of from 115 to 130° C.

Abstract: A particle producing method is provided including bringing a material into contact with a compressible fluid to prepare a melt of the material, and discharging the melt from a vibrated through hole to form particles of the melt. A particle producing apparatus is also provided including a discharger to discharge the melt. The discharger includes a storage to store the melt, at least one through hole disposed on the storage, and a vibrator to vibrate the through hole. The particle producing apparatus further includes a particle forming member defining a space within which the discharged melt is formed into particles and a pressure controller controlling a pressure difference between the space and an inside of the storage so that the discharged melt is formed into a columnar melt and the columnar melt is constricted and separated into particles.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a toner, which includes 1) saccharifying paper by at least one of a chemical degradation method and a biochemical degradation method to obtain a sugar-containing solution, 2) subjecting the sugar-containing solution obtained through 1) to lactic acid fermentation to obtain a lactic acid, 3) polymerizing the lactic acid obtained through 2) to obtain a polylactic acid, and 4) producing a toner using the polylactic acid obtained through 3).

Abstract: To provide a toner including: a resin particle (C) containing a first resin (a1), a second resin (a2), and a resin particle (B) to a surface of which the first resin (a1) and the second resin (a2) are attached, wherein the first resin (a1) and the second resin (a2) have mutually different glass transition temperatures, and wherein the resin particle (B) contains a third resin (b) having an amorphous polyhydroxycarboxylic acid skeleton.

Abstract: A toner including: a first binder resin; a colorant; a releasing agent; and a crystalline organic compound, wherein the first binder resin contains an amorphous polyester resin (a) having a polyhydroxycarboxylic acid skeleton derived from optically active monomers in a part of a main chain of the amorphous polyester resin, and the polyhydroxycarboxylic acid skeleton has an optical purity X, calculated on the monomer basis, of 80% or less, and the optical purity X is determined from the equation, Optical Purity X (%)=|X (L-form)?X (D-form)| wherein the crystalline organic compound is any one of a crystalline polyester resin (b) and a crystalline low molecular compound having a melting point of 60° C. to 100° C., and being selected from a group consisting of fatty acid having 16 to 24 carbon atoms, alcohol having 16 to 24 carbon atoms, a fatty acid ester compound, and aliphatic carboxylic acid amide.

Abstract: An electrostatic image developing toner including a toner particle (C), wherein the toner particle (C) has a structure in which a resin particle (A) containing at least a first resin (a) or a coated film (P) containing the first resin (a) is attached to a surface of a resin-containing particle (B) containing a second resin (b), and wherein the resin (b) includes a polyhydroxycarboxylic acid skeleton, and the resin (a) is a polyester resin containing a polybasic acid and a polyhydric alcohol.

Abstract: The developing device includes a developer charging member configured to charge a toner serving as a one developer; and a developer bearing member configured to bear and feed the charged toner while forming an electric field so that the toner hops. The developer bearing member includes an insulating substrate; plural electrodes arranged on the insulating substrate in a developer feeding direction to form the electric field; and an outermost layer covering the plural electrodes. The toner has a softening point of from 115 to 130° C.

Abstract: A toner bearing member is provided which includes a conductive support, an insulation layer provided on the conductive support, multiple electrodes arranged at regular intervals on the insulation layer, a surface layer covering the multiple electrodes, comprising a polymerized compound having a specific unit, and a voltage applicator that applies a voltage between the conductive support and the multiple electrodes while periodically reversing an electric field generated therebetween.

Abstract: A toner including a colorant, a thermoplastic resin (a) comprising an amorphous polyester resin having a main chain having a polyhydroxycarboxylic acid skeleton, and a thermoplastic resin (b) is provided. The toner is manufactured by a method including mixing the colorant with the thermoplastic resin (a) to prepare a preliminary mixture, and mixing the preliminary mixture with the thermoplastic resin (b).

Abstract: A toner including a binder resin comprising a resin (a) comprising a polyhydroxycarboxylic acid skeleton formed from an optically-active monomer. The polyhydroxycarboxylic acid skeleton has a weight average molecular weight of from 7,000 to 60,000. The binder resin comprises the polyhydroxycarboxylic acid skeleton in an amount of from 10 to 90% by weight. The optical purity X (%) of the polyhydroxycarboxylic acid skeleton represented by the following formula is 80% or less: X(%)=|X(L-isomer)?X(D-isomer)| wherein X(L-isomer) and X(D-isomer) represent molar ratio (%) of L-isomer and D-isomer of the optically-active monomer, respectively.