Patent 7504189 was granted and assigned to Lexmark International, Inc. on March, 2009 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A method for making toner particles having reduced toner charge transfer sensitivity when used in electrophotographic printers. The method includes preparing a dispersion of pigment, a fuser release agent, and a polymeric dispersant. The polymeric dispersant has a hydrophilic polymeric segment and at least one segment selected from the group consisting of a protective colloid segment and reactive surfactant segment. The polymeric dispersant also has a weight average molecular weight ranging from about 5,000 to about 30,000 as determined by gel permeation chromatography, and a hydrophobicity ranging from about 10 to about 90 percent by weight. The dispersion is mixed with a latex binder dispersion to provide a toner mixture. The toner mixture is agglomerated while stirring the mixture at an elevated temperature to provide toner particles.