Copiers, laser printers…these are the types of office equipment that we use every day, at work, in stores, in our homes, etc. Using advanced organic chemical synthesis technologies, Hodogaya Chemical is creating and supplying critical materials for this indispensible equipment.
At Hodogaya Chemical, our unique chemical products are helping to enhance precision in the office automation environment. In the imaging materials sector as well, we are always working to create high value-added products.
Copier
Laser Printer
How do copiers relate to Hodogaya Chemical’s business?
Hodogaya Chemical develops and manufactures Charge Control Agents(CCA), materials that are used in Organic Photo Conductor(OPC)drums, such as Charge Transport Materials (CTM). These basic materials are essential to copier and printer technology.
The diagram below shows the basic mechanics of a copy machine. Toner is attached to the OPC drum using an electrostatic charge, then transferred to the paper to create an image. In other words, the toner and the OPC drum are essential to this process. If we can liken a copy machine to the human body, the OPC drum would be the heart, and the toner would be the blood. Hodogaya Chemical is the only chemical manufacturer to supply both CCA and OPC materials.
The Paper Copying Process(Black & White Printing)
With a wide range of CCA and OPC materials that conform to all sorts of operating conditions, our product lineup allows customers to choose the products that meet their specifications.
Hodogaya Chemical’s materials are always pure and high in quality. This is necessary because these materials control electrostatic charge, so they must be extremely low in impurities. Simply stated, our expertise in both the basic chemistry of dye synthesis and purification technology is what allows us to produce the highest quality imaging materials.
CCA are chemical compounds that come in a powder form, and are added to toner in minute quantities. The role of CCA is to quickly generate toner charge, and to control and maintain charge stability in any environment. This makes it possible to produce numerous copies without losing image clarity.
Charge Control Agents(CCA)
Because toner is composed of very fine particles that can be inhaled when airborne or otherwise come into contact with the human body and the environment, it is subject to strict safety requirements. The same standards apply to the CCA that is added to the toner. Hodogaya Chemical has earned the trust of its clients by supplying high quality CCA that satisfy these demanding requirements.
Charge Transport Materials
One more critical component is the OPC drum. The OPC materials used for the OPC drum include an aluminum or plastic tube with layers of UCM, CGM, and a top layer of CTM. CTM developed from an application of dye synthesis technology. By accumulating organic synthesis technology knowhow through our experience with the development and manufacture of dyes, we have earned the top share among manufacturers selling to external users.
CTM
The cartridge that goes inside the OPC drum
(some drums use belt cartridges)
The copy machines used around the world today include both the standard black-and-white machines that are mainly used in offices, and the rapidly expanding lineup of full color machines. These are aggressively entering the graphics field, competing with inkjet printers and photographic printing, and are likely to continue to gain momentum in the future. While colored (black) CCA are often used in black-and-white toners, color toners require colorless CCA. A high level of technical skill is required to create very safe colorless CCA, and customer expectations are rising.