Characterization of size-resolved charge distributions for triboelectrically charged microparticles via electrical mobility analysis coupled to optical particle spectrometry

In printing applications, microparticles are commonly triboelectrically charged with larger carrier particles. Here, we develop an impaction-differential mobility analyzer-optical particle spectrometer (DMA-OPS) system to examine the size-dependent charge distributions of toner particles in the 0.3 – 10 μm range resulting from triboelectric charging via acrylic-coated ferrite carrier. The toner-carrier blend is aerosolized, and toner particles are released from the carrier via inertial impaction of toner-carrier complexes. The toner particles are then classified by electrical mobility and their optical diameters are determined. We can produce toner particle size-dependent charge distributions, which can be converted to surface potentials, and charge-to-mass ratios.