bioplasticsMAGAZINE_1406

Consumer Electronics
Biobased color toner
Kodak achieves near 100 % biocontent with chemical color biotoner
In September 2012, Kodak (Rocherster, New York, USA) entered
into a joint development agreement (JDA) with Diamond
Research Corporation (DRC) of Ojai, California to
develop biobased monochrome and color toners for digital
printers and copiers. The R&D project was implemented by
Kodak scientists working in close collaboration with DRC’s
Art Diamond and polymer chemist Velliyur Sankaran (San
Rafael, California), whom DRC engaged as an independent
consultant.
Working together, Kodak contributed its ELC (Evaporative
Limited Coalescence, see below) processing and toner
formulation technology while DRC supplied a key source of
PLA bioresin capable of fulfilling the demanding properties
and specifications for a toner resin.
In June of this year Kodak announced that the company
had achieved more than 85% biocontent in a chemical color
toner. This cost competitive, environmentally friendly product
is planned to be in full-scale production by June 2015. The
announcement at the Tiara Group’s 31 st annual TONERS 2014
Seminar was the culmination of this two year cooperative
effort.
The ELC Process
In support of these auspicious goals is Kodak’s proprietary
chemical process known as Evaporative Limited Coalescence
(ELC). What follows is a rather basic description of the ELC
process.
Starting with toner components dissolved or dispersed in
a volatile solvent, an aqueous phase is added that contains
silica particles and/or a polymer latex. The two- phase mixture
is then homogenized and a proprietary shape control agent
added. Limited coalescence technology results in uniform
droplet size. Upon evaporation and solvent removal these
droplets are transformed into solid particles with controlled
size and shape. Filtration, washing and drying results in toner
particles typically 6 to 9 microns in size. The process itself
is capable of producing solid or porous particles in the size
range 1–30 µm. A wide variety of polymers may be processed
using this technology these include thermoplastics, acrylates
and polyesters.
One important feature of Kodak’s ELC biotoner is its low,
unit manufacturing cost (UMC) based upon the bioresin (PLA)
Waste toner bio-feed
Green scope
Intensified de-inking plant
Bio based raw materials
Kodak Technology >95 %
Intensified chemical plant
Green scope
Paper only recycled
Chemical bio toner
40 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9