CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION OF FINE TONER

PURPOSE: Continuous production of fine toner is provided to execute continuous reaction under atmosphere of an inert gas, thereby minimizing or making impossible reactant decomposition, maintaining the strength of toner particles or adjusting reaction conditions. CONSTITUTION: A continuous chemical toner process for producing a toner particle less than 4 μm comprises the steps of: producing a toner reaction mixture by mixing one or more latexes, an optional colorant, an optional wax, and an optional surfactant; adding the mixture to a twin screw extruder; adjusting pH of the mixture to 4; adding an aggregating agent to the mixture at a pH of 4; increasing a temperature of the mixture to no more than 48 °C; transporting the mixture along the longitudinal length of the extruder to aggregate toner particles; optionally forming a shell on the aggregate particles; freezing aggregation of the aggregated particles; and performing coalescence of the aggregated particles to form toner particles less than 4 μm; quenching the toner particles; and optionally one or more of sizing the quenched toner particles; cleaning the quenched or sized toner particles; or drying the quenched, sized or cleaned toner particles.