This essay is about how photocopiers work and how chemistry is involved in the process.

Photocopiers and laser printers are staple pieces of equipment in any office setting. Not that long ago, all copies were done by use of carbon paper or tedious recopying by hand. This modern invention that is so taken for granted in today's fast paced society was a long time in coming. The first photocopy, made of moss spores, gave way to several different types of polymer infused toners. The use of this innovation has allowed …

…Forensic discrimination of photocopy and printer toners II. Discriminate analysis applied to infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy. Egan WJ, Morgan SL, Bartick EG, Merrill RA. Analytical Bioanalytical Chemistry 2003 376(8) 1279-1285 How Photocopiers work. O'Connell AM. Howstuffworks.com How does a photocopier work. Prasad A. Scientific American. March 31, 2003 How Laser Printers work. Harris T. Howstuffworks.com Xerography: The invention no one wanted. http://www.tjlibrary.org/inventions.htm Xerography: A History. Bunce N., Hunt J. www.physics.uoguelph.ca