Abstract: The present invention provides a charge control agent containing, as an active substance(s), one or two or more rhodanine compounds represented by the following formula (1). where R1 represents a hydrogen atom, etc.; R2 represents a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms which may have a substituent, a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group, etc.; R3 to R7, which may be identical to or different from each other, represent a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms which may have a substituent, a linear or branched alkyloxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms which may have a substituent, etc., and may be joined to each other to form a ring; and V, W, X, Y and Z represent a carbon atom or a nitrogen atom, and 0 to 3 of any of V, W, X, Y and Z are nitrogen atoms which do not have the substituents of R3 to R7.

Abstract: The present invention provides a modified charge control agent composition exhibiting a high charge-imparting effect, and an electrostatic image developing toner containing such a charge control agent composition and having a high electrostatic charge amount and an environmental stability. A composition comprising a metal compound (A) of aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid having an aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid bonded with a metal atom selected from a zirconium atom, a calcium atom, an aluminum atom, a chromium atom, a boron atom and a zinc atom via at least any of ionic bond, covalent bond and coordinate bond; and at least one inorganic pigment (B), wherein the pigment (B) is contained in an amount of from 1 to 20 parts by mass in 100 parts by mass of the composition.

Abstract: A method for producing a polymer nanocomposite, includes: after expanding an interlayer space of a layered inorganic compound using an organic onium salt, immobilizing a radical polymerization initiator having a group represented by formula (1) on an interlayer surface of the layered inorganic compound via a covalent bond; and carrying out surface-initiated radical polymerization in a monomer from the immobilized radical polymerization initiator. Preferably, in the radical polymerization initiator having the group represented by the general formula (1), at least one of X1 to X3 in the formula is a chlorine atom, or R1 in the formula is a C1-25 alkylene group or a C2-25 alkenylene group optionally interrupted by an oxygen atom or an ester group and optionally substituted by a phenyl group: R1 represents a C1-25 alkylene group, a C2-25 alkenylene group, a C5-8 cycloalkylene group, or a C6-12 arylene group.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a mixed cyclic phenol sulfide which is a mixture of the cyclic phenol sulfide wherein m is 8 and the cyclic phenol sulfide wherein m is an integer other than 8, the cyclic phenol sulfide being represented by the following formula (1): wherein R is a straight or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and m is an integer from 4 to 9; or a cyclic phenol sulfide of formula (1) wherein m is 8. The present invention also discloses a charge control agent which comprises the above sulfide(s) as the active ingredient; and a toner which comprises the charge control agent, a coloring agent and a binder resin. This charge control agent is particularly useful for color toners, and it speeds up charging risetime, and has a high charge amount and charging characteristics excellent in the environmental stability. Further, the charge control agent is safe since it does not have any problem with the waste regulations.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a charge control agent which comprises a metal compound of a cyclic phenol sulfide of the following formula (1) as an active ingredient: wherein at least one of several Y is a metal atom. The present invention also discloses a toner which comprises one or more kinds of said metal compound, a coloring agent and a binder resin. The charge control agent of the present invention overcomes disadvantages such as lack of sharpness of first copied images and instability of the quality of the copied images in continuously copying, and it is those applicable to recent high speed printers, which have a quick charging rise time, an excellent environmental stability since the charge amount thereof less varies depending on the changes of temperature and humidity, and a high frictional charge amount. In addition, by using said charge control agent, a toner having a negative electric with high charging performance can be provided.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an oxidized mixed cyclic phenol sulfide which is a mixture of the oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide wherein m is 8 and the oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide wherein m is an integer other than 8, the oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide being represented by the following formula (1): wherein R is a straight or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, m is an integer from 4 to 9, and n is 1 or 2; or an oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide of formula (1) wherein m is 8. The present invention also discloses a charge control agent which comprises the above sulfide(s) as the active ingredient; and a toner which comprises the charge control agent, a coloring agent and a binder resin. This charge control agent is particularly useful for color toners, and it speeds up charging risetime, and has a high charge amount and charging characteristics excellent in environmental stability. Further, the charge control agent is safe since it does not have any problem with the waste regulations.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an oxidized mixed cyclic phenol sulfide which is a mixture of the oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide wherein m is 8 and the oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide wherein m is an integer other than 8, the oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide being represented by the following formula (1): wherein R is a straight or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, m is an integer from 4 to 9, and n is 1 or 2; or an oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide of formula (1) wherein m is 8. The present invention also discloses a charge control agent which comprises the above sulfide(s) as the active ingredient; and a toner which comprises the charge control agent, a coloring agent and a binder resin. This charge control agent is particularly useful for color toners, and it speeds up charging risetime, and has a high charge amount and charging characteristics excellent in environmental stability. Further, the charge control agent is safe since it does not have any problem with the waste regulations.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an oxidized mixed cyclic phenol sulfide which is a mixture of the oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide wherein m is 8 and the oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide wherein m is an integer other than 8, the oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide being represented by the following formula (1): wherein R is a straight or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, m is an integer from 4 to 9, and n is 1 or 2; or an oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide of formula (1) wherein m is 8. The present invention also discloses a charge control agent which comprises the above sulfide(s) as the active ingredient; and a toner which comprises the charge control agent, a coloring agent and a binder resin. This charge control agent is particularly useful for color toners, and it speeds up charging risetime, and has a high charge amount and charging characteristics excellent in environmental stability. Further, the charge control agent is safe since it does not have any problem with the waste regulations.

Abstract: The present invention provides a modified charge control agent composition exhibiting a high charge-imparting effect, and an electrostatic image developing toner containing such a charge control agent composition and having a high electrostatic charge amount and an environmental stability. A composition comprising a metal compound (A) of aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid having an aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid bonded with a metal atom selected from a zirconium atom, a calcium atom, an aluminum atom, a chromium atom, a boron atom and a zinc atom via at least any of ionic bond, covalent bond and coordinate bond; and at least one inorganic pigment (B), wherein the pigment (B) is contained in an amount of from 1 to 20 parts by mass in 100 parts by mass of the composition.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an oxidized mixed cyclic phenol sulfide which is a mixture of the oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide wherein in is 8 and the oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide wherein m is an integer other than 8, the oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide being represented by the following formula (1): wherein R is a straight or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, m is an integer from 4 to 9, and n is 1 or 2; or an oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide of formula (1) wherein m is 8. The present invention also discloses a charge control agent which comprises the above sulfide(s) as the active ingredient; and a toner which comprises the charge control agent, a coloring agent and a binder resin. This charge control agent is particularly useful for color toners, and it speeds up charging risetime, and has a high charge amount and charging characteristics excellent in environmental stability. Further, the charge control agent is safe since it does not have any problem with the waste regulations.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a mixed cyclic phenol sulfide which is a mixture of the cyclic phenol sulfide wherein m is 8 and the cyclic phenol sulfide wherein m is an integer other than 8, the cyclic phenol sulfide being represented by the following formula (1): wherein R is a straight or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and m is an integer from 4 to 9; or a cyclic phenol sulfide of formula (1) wherein m is 8. The present invention also discloses a charge control agent which comprises the above sulfide(s) as the active ingredient; and a toner which comprises the charge control agent, a coloring agent and a binder resin. This charge control agent is particularly useful for color toners, and it speeds up charging risetime, and has a high charge amount and charging characteristics excellent in the environmental stability. Further, the charge control agent is safe since it does not have any problem with the waste regulations.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a charge controlling agent and negatively chargeable toner that do not contain any toxic metal, are essentially free from the risk of evoking ignition or explosion, and can exhibit a high charge amount and rapid initial increase in charging. The charge controlling agent is a mono azo iron complex compound represented by Formula (1): wherein J represents H, alkali metal, ammonium, or alkyl ammonium, or two or more of those elements in combination.

Abstract: A method for automatic identification of a hair region is provided wherein edges are identified from an original image including a face and hair, the direction and length of the lines which form each individual edge are stored, line bundles in which lines of the same direction are gathered are searched, the color of the line bundles is established to be the hair color, line tracing is performed to identify lines which connect to line bundles and also have afore-mentioned hair color, and the pixels on the identified lines are established to be the hair region. A hair color simulation image is formed by changing the hair region, automatically identified in this manner, to a specified hair color.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a charge controlling agent and negatively chargeable toner that do not contain any toxic metal, are essentially free from the risk of evoking ignition or explosion, and can exhibit a high charge amount and rapid initial increase in charging. The charge controlling agent is a mono azo iron complex compound represented by Formula (1): wherein J represents H, alkali metal, ammonium, or alkyl ammonium, or two or more of those elements in combination.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printing method which comprises using a charge controlling agent containing a monoazo iron complex compound of the formula (1) as an effective component, wherein A1, A2, B1 and B2 are respectively independently H, an alkyl group or a halogen atom, J is H, an alkali metal, NH4 or an alkylammonium, they may be two or more kinds, X1 and X2 are respectively independently H, an alkyl group or a halogen atom, and Y1 and Y2 are respectively independently H, an alkyl group or an aromatic group which may have a substituent, provided that a case in which A1, A2, B1, B2, X1, X2, Y1, and Y2 are hydrogen at the same time is excluded.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there can be obtained an anisotropic material comprising an alternating-line pattern and a layer of a functional compound formed on the surface of the alternating-line pattern, wherein one type of lines is made of a fluorine-containing compound and the other type of lines is made of a non-fluorinated compound in the alternating-line surface. When using, as a template, a pattern surface produced by using a fluorine compound having a specific structure as a surface-treating agent, a structure of a functional compound of nanometer to micrometer order can be produced by a process of applying a functional compound solution. Properties of a functional compound can be improved by using, as a template, a pattern surface, at least one region of which is surface-treated with a fluorine compound having a specific structure.

Abstract: A method for automatic identification of a hair region is provided wherein edges are identified from an original image including a face and hair, the direction and length of the lines which form each individual edge are stored, line bundles in which lines of the same direction are gathered are searched, the color of the line bundles is established to be the hair color, line tracing is performed to identify lines which connect to line bundles and also have afore-mentioned hair color, and the pixels on the identified lines are established to be the hair region. A hair color simulation image is formed by changing the hair region, automatically identified in this manner, to a specified hair color.

Abstract: A method for producing a charge controlling agent comprisinig a reaction product of an aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid and a calcium compound bonded by at least one bondinig system selected from the group consisting of coordinate bonding, covalent bonding and ionic bonding, characterized in that the aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid and the calcium compound are reacted by dropwise adding a solution of the aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid to a solution of the calcium compound as a metal-imparting agent, a charge controlling agent produced by said method, which has a shape coefficient (SF-1) average value of at most 250 and a shape coefficient (SF-2) average value of at most 200, and an electrostatic image developing toner containing said charge controlling agent having a presence ratio on a toner surface of at least 2.0 mg/1 g of toner.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printing method which comprises using a charge controlling agent containing a monoazo iron complex compound of the formula (1) as an effective component, 1

Abstract: A method for producing a charge controlling agent comprisinig a reaction product of an aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid and a calcium compound bonded by at least one bondinig system selected from the group consisting of coordinate bonding, covalent bonding and ionic bonding, characterized in that the aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid and the calcium compound are reacted by dropwise adding a solution of the aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid to a solution of the calcium compound as a metal-imparting agent, a charge controlling agent produced by said method, which has a shape coefficient (SF-1) average value of at most 250 and a shape coefficient (SF-2) average value of at most 200, and an electrostatic image developing toner containing said charge controlling agent having a presence ratio on a toner surface of at least 2.0 mg/1 g of toner.