Answer to Question #162954 in Physics for Ajay

Question

Explain why plastic beads are used in a Xerox toner?

Answer 1

Pigmented powder used to develop the image is called toner. Toner particles made of colorant and plastic resin have precisely controlled electrostatic properties and range from about five to 10 micrometers in diameter. They are mixed with and charged by magnetized carrier beads that transport them to the development zone. The particles are charged by the phenomenon of triboelectricity (often referred to as static electricity). The electric field associated with the charge pattern of the image on the photoreceptor exerts an electrostatic force on the charged toner, which adheres to the image. A color document is formed by a printer with four separate xerographic units that create and develop separate cyan, magenta, yellow and black images. The superposition of these powder images produces full-color documents.