Abstract: A method for making a mold is provided. The method includes the following steps a) to d): a) in which a polymer solution is discharged from a liquid droplet discharger onto a stage, where the polymer solution is capable of solating at a temperature lower than a sol-gel transition temperature and gelating at a temperature higher than the sol-gel transition temperature; b) in which the polymer solution discharged onto the stage is maintained at a temperature higher than the sol-gel transition temperature; c) in which the liquid droplet discharger and the stage are relatively moved to form a gel layer on the stage, where the gel layer has a shape corresponding to a locus of the relative movement; and d) in which the polymer solution is discharged from the liquid droplet discharger onto the gel layer to laminate another gel layer thereon and obtain a laminated object.

Abstract: A method for making a mold is provided. The method includes the following steps a) to d): a) in which a polymer solution is discharged from a liquid droplet discharger onto a stage, where the polymer solution is capable of solating at a temperature lower than a sol-gel transition temperature and gelating at a temperature higher than the sol-gel transition temperature; b) in which the polymer solution discharged onto the stage is maintained at a temperature higher than the sol-gel transition temperature; c) in which the liquid droplet discharger and the stage are relatively moved to form a gel layer on the stage, where the gel layer has a shape corresponding to a locus of the relative movement; and d) in which the polymer solution is discharged from the liquid droplet discharger onto the gel layer to laminate another gel layer thereon and obtain a laminated object.

Abstract: A water-decomposable resin composition is provided. The water-decomposable resin composition includes a polyvinyl alcohol resin and a water absorptive resin. The polyvinyl alcohol resin has a melting point and a temperature at which a weight thereof decreases by 10% due to heat, and the difference between the melting point and the temperature is 100° C. or more.

Abstract: A charger to apply a charge to an object is provided. The charger includes an electron emitter including an electroconductive substrate; and a layer of n-type hexagonal boron nitride codoped with magnesium and oxygen atoms, which is located on the electroconductive substrate, wherein the concentration of oxygen atoms in the layer of n-type hexagonal boron nitride codoped with magnesium and oxygen atoms is higher than the concentration of magnesium atoms in the layer.

Abstract: A recording medium including a first base; a second base; and an image recording layer provided between the first base and the second base, wherein the image recording layer contains electrophoretic particles, a dispersion medium, and a thermoreversible gelling agent, and wherein at least one type of the electrophoretic particles is electret particles is provided.

Abstract: A charger to apply a charge to an object is provided. The charger includes an electron emitter including an electroconductive substrate; and a layer of n-type hexagonal boron nitride codoped with magnesium and oxygen atoms, which is located on the electroconductive substrate, wherein the concentration of oxygen atoms in the layer of n-type hexagonal boron nitride codoped with magnesium and oxygen atoms is higher than the concentration of magnesium atoms in the layer.

Abstract: A toner produced by a method including dissolving or dispersing toner components comprising a resin, a colorant, and a release agent in a solvent to prepare a toner components liquid, discharging the toner components liquid from multiple nozzles provided on a thin film by vibrating the thin film by a mechanical vibration unit to form liquid droplets, and drying the liquid droplets into solid particles of the toner. The particle diameter distribution that is a ratio of a weight average particle diameter to a number average particle diameter of the toner is between 1.00 and 1.15, and a weight average particle diameter of the release agent in the toner is between 1% and 30% of an aperture diameter of the nozzle.

Abstract: A method for producing a toner, including ejecting a toner composition liquid containing at least a resin and a colorant periodically from a plurality of nozzles into a chamber using a vibration unit, so as to form droplets in a gas phase; and solidifying the droplets, wherein the droplets are transported by transport air flow selected from at least one of vertical downward air flow and rotational air flow, and the method can prevent toner particles from aggregation.

Abstract: A method for producing particles, including: bringing a compressive fluid into contact with a pressure plastic material, so as to produce a melt of the pressure plastic material; and discharging the melt of the pressure plastic material by differential pressure to a space, so as to form particles, wherein the discharging includes at least one of (A) discharging the melt of the pressure plastic material while a compressive fluid is supplied to the melt of the pressure plastic material, and (B) discharging the melt of the pressure plastic material through one or more through-holes, to which vibration is applied, so as to change the shape of the melt of the pressure plastic material from a columnar shape, through the columnar shape with constrictions, into a particle shape.

Abstract: A method of preparing a toner, including periodically dripping and discharging droplets of a toner constituent liquid comprising a resin and a colorant with a dripper comprising a thin film comprising plural nozzles configured to discharge the droplets, and an electromechanical converter configured to oscillate the thin film; and solidifying the droplets to form toner particles, wherein the nozzle has an aperture discharging the droplet, having a circular or an ellipsoidal cross-sectional shape and cross-sectional area smaller than a cross-sectional area of another aperture contacting the toner constituent liquid.

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 manufacturing method, a toner manufacturing apparatus, and a toner are disclosed. The toner manufacturing apparatus includes a droplet generating unit that includes a thin film in which plural nozzles are formed, and an annular vibrating unit that is arranged at a perimeter of a deformable domain of the thin film for vibrating the thin film; a storage unit for storing a toner-containing liquid that includes at least a resin and a colorant, and for supplying the toner-containing liquid 10 to the droplet generating unit; and a granulating unit for solidifying droplets that are periodically breathed out from the nozzles of the droplet generating unit to form toner particles.

Abstract: A toner produced by dissolving or dispersing toner components comprising a binder resin, a colorant, and a charge controlling agent in an organic solvent to prepare a toner components liquid, forming liquid droplets of the toner components liquid in a gas phase, and solidifying the liquid droplets into toner particles of the toner. The charge controlling agent includes a polycondensation reaction product of a phenol with an aldehyde.

Abstract: A method for producing a carrier, including a step of periodically forming and discharging liquid droplets of a carrier core composition liquid from a plurality of nozzles formed in a thin film, using a liquid droplet forming unit having the thin film and a ring-shaped vibration generating unit disposed in a deformable area of the thin film so as to be along a circumference of the area and to vibrate the thin film, a step of forming carrier core particles by solidifying the discharged liquid droplets, and a step of coating the carrier core particles with a resin layer.

Abstract: A method of preparing a toner, including periodically discharging a toner constituent liquid from plural nozzles having the same aperture diameter with a mechanical oscillator, wherein the toner constituent liquid includes: a binder resin, a colorant, and an organic solvent, wherein the binder resin and the colorant are dissolved or dispersed in the organic solvent; forming a droplet of the toner constituent liquid in a gas phase; and solidifying the droplet, wherein the aperture diameter is from 3 to 30 ?m, and the binder resin has a ratio (Mw/Mn) of a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) to a number-average molecular weight (Mn) of THF (tetrahydrofuran)-soluble components therein of from 1.5 to 15 in a molecular weight distribution measured by GPC (gel permeation chromatography), and a ½ flow temperature (Tm) of from 114 to 149° 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 toner containing at least two binder resins composed of at least a resin A and a resin B which are incompatible with each other, and a colorant, wherein the toner has an average circularity of 0.93 to 0.98 and is produced by atomizing a toner composition liquid in a vapor phase to form liquid droplets and solidifying the liquid droplets, and the toner composition liquid is prepared by dissolving or dispersing the at least two binder resins and the colorant in an organic solvent.

Abstract: A method for producing particles, including: bringing a compressive fluid into contact with a pressure plastic material, so as to produce a melt of the pressure plastic material; and discharging the melt of the pressure plastic material by differential pressure to a space, so as to form particles, wherein the discharging includes at least one of (A) discharging the melt of the pressure plastic material while a compressive fluid is supplied to the melt of the pressure plastic material, and (B) discharging the melt of the pressure plastic material through one or more through-holes, to which vibration is applied, so as to change the shape of the melt of the pressure plastic material from a columnar shape, through the columnar shape with constrictions, into a particle shape.

Abstract: A method of preparing a toner, including periodically dripping and discharging a droplet of a toner constituent liquid including a resin and a colorant; and solidifying and granulating the droplet, wherein the dripper includes a thin film including plural nozzles; and an oscillator including an oscillation generator generating an oscillation; and an oscillation amplifier, including an oscillation surface facing the thin film in parallel therewith, amplifying the oscillation, and wherein the toner constituent liquid is fed between the thin film and the oscillation surface.

Abstract: Provided are an electrophotographic toner and a method for producing the electrophotographic toner that satisfy high image quality, cleaning stability, and high productivity. The electrophotographic toner is produced by spray-drying a toner ingredient-containing liquid, wherein the toner ingredient-containing liquid dissolves or disperses at least a resin, a low molecular mass organic material, and a colorant in an organic solvent, the resin is soluble in the organic solvent, the low molecular mass organic material is a crystalline compound or a composition of crystalline compounds that is soluble in the organic solvent, the toner ingredient-containing liquid contains substantially no particles having a particle diameter of 500 nm or more, the crystalline compound or the composition of crystalline compounds crystallizes upon spray-drying to deform toner particles into a circularity of 0.93 or higher to 0.98 or less, and volume average particle diameter of the toner particles is 3.