Abstract: A toner including a colorant and a first binder resin is provided. The first binder resin has first and second glass transition points at a temperature Tg1 of ?20 to 20° C. and a temperature Tg2 of 35 to 65° C., respectively, measured by a differential scanning calorimeter at a heating rate of 5° C./min. A ratio h1/h2 of a baseline displacement h1 observed in the first glass transition point to a baseline displacement h2 observed in the second glass transition point is less than 1.0. The first binder resin has a structure in which a first phase is dispersed in a second phase. The first and second phases consist of portions having larger and smaller phase difference values, respectively, than an intermediate value between maximum and minimum phase difference values in a binarized phase image obtained by an atomic force microscope with a tapping mode method.

Abstract: A method for producing particles, including: bringing a compressive fluid into contact with a pressure plastic material, so as to plasticize the pressure plastic material; applying a shear force to the compressive fluid and the plasticized pressure plastic material, between which an interface exists, in the presence of a surfactant to granulate the pressure plastic material in the compressive fluid, so as to produce particles.

Abstract: A resin for use in toner is provided. The resin comprises an oligomer segment and a soft segment. The oligomer segment comprises a polyhydroxycarboxylic skeleton and an aromatic diol skeleton.

Abstract: A resin for toner containing a polyhydroxy carbonate skeleton and a rigid skeleton.

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 prepared by a method comprising granulating while polymerizing a ring-opening polymerizable monomer with a catalyst under the presence of a surfactant and a colorant in a compressible fluid.

Abstract: A resin for use in toner including a polyhydroxycarboxylic acid skeleton in an amount of 50 to 80% by mass. The resin is soluble in organic solvents and has a glass transition temperature of 60° C. or more.

Abstract: A method for producing polymer particles, including (A) polymerizing and granulating a ring-opening polymerizable monomer in a compressive fluid with a catalyst in the presence of a surfactant, or (B) polymerizing and granulating an addition polymerizable monomer in a compressive fluid in the presence of a silicone surfactant.

Abstract: A method for producing a polymer, including polymerizing a ring-opening polymerizable monomer in a compressive fluid with a metal-free organic catalyst to produce a polymer.