Fixing member, fixing device, and image forming apparatus

Abstract

A fixing member comprising: a substrate; and a surface layer containing a condensate of an organopolysiloxane compound having a structural unit of (R1SiO3 / 2)) and a structural unit of (R2R3SiO2 / 2), wherein the surface layer has a storage elastic modulus at 140°C of 10-200 MPa. R1 and 2 each independently represent a C1-10 alkyl group, and R3 is a C2-10 alkenyl group or a group having a linear polydialkylsiloxane structure containing 2-40 silicon atoms.

Description

Fixing member, fixing device, and image forming apparatus

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a fixing member, a fixing device, and an image forming apparatus.

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a fixing belt having at least an elastic layer and a surface layer on a base layer, wherein the releasability R of the surface of the surface layer is 1.00 N or less, and the liquid repellency HD defined by the n-hexadecane contact angle on the surface of the surface layer is in the range of 48 to 73°. A fixing belt is described.

[0003] Patent Document 2 describes an elastomer formed of an addition-type silicone rubber elastic material, wherein the addition-type silicone rubber elastic material is (a) a terminal vinyl group-blocked linear dimethylpolysiloxane having a viscosity at 25°C of 80,000 poise or more, and (b) a resin segment having two or more vinyl groups and containing at least one of tetrafunctional or trifunctional constitutional units and a bifunctional oil segment, and having a resinous organopolysiloxane having a viscosity at 25°C of 10 poise or more. An elastomer having a cured product of a polysiloxane mixture is described.

[0004] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2021-165773, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 5-214250

[0005] The problem of the present disclosure is to provide a fixing member that is less likely to cause toner offset and has excellent image quality of the obtained image, compared to a case where the surface layer contains only an organopolysiloxane compound that does not contain the structural unit of (R １ SiO ３／２ ), or the structural unit of (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２ ).

[0006] Specific means for solving the above problems include the following aspects. <1> A base material and (R １ SiO ３／２ ), and the structural unit of (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２A fixing member having a surface layer containing a condensate of an organopolysiloxane compound having the constituent units of ), wherein the storage modulus of the surface layer at 140°C is 10 MPa or more and 200 MPa or less. However, R １ and R ２ Each of these independently represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, R ３ <1> represents an alkenyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms or a group having a linear polydialkylsiloxane structure having 2 to 40 silicon atoms. <2> The fixing member according to <1>, wherein the weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of the organopolysiloxane compound in terms of polystyrene in gel permeation chromatography is 1,000 or more and 50,000 or less. <3> The R ３ However, the fixing member according to <1> or <2> is a group represented by the following formula (I), or an alkenyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms.

[0007]

[0008] In formula (I), * represents a bond to a silicon atom, and X independently represents a divalent hydrocarbon group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, which may contain an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom, or a sulfur atom instead of a carbon atom, and R ４ Each of the following independently represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, L represents an integer between 10 and 40, and Y represents a silyl group having one or more bonds to the silicon atom represented by * or an alkoxy group.

[0009] <4> In the organopolysiloxane compound, the (R １ SiO ３／２ The number of constituent units of ) is m, and the (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２A fixing member according to any one of <1> to <3>, wherein the m / n value when the number of constituent units of ) is n is 1 or more and 10 or less. <5> A fixing member according to any one of <1> to <4>, wherein the storage modulus of the surface layer at 140°C is 30 MPa or more and 80 MPa or less. <6> A fixing member according to any one of <1> to <5>, wherein the contact angle hysteresis of the paraffin wax of the surface layer at 140°C is 12° or less. <7> A fixing member according to <6>, wherein the contact angle hysteresis of the paraffin wax of the surface layer at 140°C is 5° or less. <8> A fixing member according to any one of <1> to <7>, wherein the toner peeling force at 140°C is 50 kPa or less. <9> A fixing member according to <8>, wherein the toner peeling force at 140°C is 18 kPa or less. <10> A fixing device comprising a fixing member according to any one of <1> to <9>. <11> An image forming apparatus comprising: an image holder; a charging device for charging the surface of the image holder; an electrostatic latent image forming device for forming an electrostatic latent image on the charged surface of the image holder; a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the image holder with toner to form a toner image; a transfer device for transferring the toner image formed on the surface of the image holder to a recording medium; and a fixing device as described in <10> for fixing the toner image to the recording medium.

[0010] According to the disclosure related to <1>, the organopolysiloxane compound is the (R) １ SiO ３／２ ) constituent units or the (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２ Compared to a surface layer containing only organopolysiloxane compounds that do not contain the constituent units of ), a fixing member is provided that is less prone to toner offset and produces images with superior quality. According to the disclosure in <2>, compared to a surface layer containing only organopolysiloxane compounds that do not contain the constituent units of ), a fixing member is provided that is less prone to toner offset and produces images with superior quality. According to the disclosure in <3>, the R ３However, compared to the case of alkyl groups, a fixing member is provided that is less prone to toner offset and produces images with superior image quality. According to the disclosure in <4>, a fixing member is provided that is less prone to toner offset and produces images with superior image quality compared to the case where the value of m / n is less than 1 or greater than 10, or where n is less than 2 or greater than 200. According to the disclosure in <5>, a fixing member is provided that is less prone to toner offset and produces images with superior image quality compared to the case where the storage modulus of the surface layer at 140°C is less than 30 MPa or greater than 80 MPa. According to the disclosure in <6>, a fixing member is provided that is less prone to toner offset and produces images with superior image quality compared to the case where the contact angle hysteresis of the paraffin wax of the surface layer at 140°C is greater than 12°. According to the disclosure in <7>, a fixing member is provided that is less prone to toner offset and produces images with superior image quality compared to the case where the contact angle hysteresis of the paraffin wax of the surface layer at 140°C is greater than 5°. According to the disclosure in <8>, compared to the case where the toner peeling force at 140°C is greater than 50 kPa, a fixing member is provided that is less prone to toner offset and produces images with superior quality. According to the disclosure in <9>, compared to the case where the toner peeling force at 140°C is greater than 18 kPa, a fixing member is provided that is less prone to toner offset and produces images with superior quality. According to the disclosure in <10> or <11>, the surface layer of the fixing member is an organopolysiloxane compound, as described above (R １ SiO ３／２ ) constituent units or the (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２ Compared to cases where only organopolysiloxane compounds that do not contain the constituent units of ) are included, a fixing device or image forming apparatus is provided that is less prone to toner offset and produces images with superior quality.

[0011] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a fixing member according to this embodiment. This is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a fixing device according to the first embodiment. This is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a fixing device according to the second embodiment. This is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a fixing device according to the third embodiment. This is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of an image forming apparatus according to this embodiment.

[0012] The following describes an embodiment that is an example of this disclosure. In this specification, when there are multiple substances that constitute a component, the amount of the component means the total amount of the multiple substances unless otherwise specified. In this specification, "conductive" means that the volume resistivity in a normal temperature and humidity environment (22°C, 55% RH environment) is 10 １４ This means it is less than or equal to Ω·cm.

[0013] <Fixing Member> The fixing member according to this embodiment comprises a base material and (R １ SiO ３／２ ) constituent units and (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２ The surface layer comprises a condensate of an organopolysiloxane compound having the constituent units of ), and the storage modulus of the surface layer at 140°C is 10 MPa or more and 200 MPa or less. However, R １ and R ２ Each of these independently represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, R ３ This represents an alkenyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms or a group having a linear polydialkylsiloxane structure with 2 to 40 silicon atoms. The fixing member according to this embodiment is suitably used as a belt member or a roll member. The fixing member according to this embodiment may further have an elastic layer or the like.

[0014] In conventional fixing members using a silicone rubber material on the surface, there was a problem of toner offset occurring due to insufficient toner release properties. Furthermore, regarding the storage modulus of the surface, if it is too low, insufficient toner pressing occurs during nipping, resulting in a decrease in image quality, and if it is too high, the fixing member cannot follow the unevenness of the paper and the height of the toner layer, resulting in a decrease in image quality. In the fixing member according to this embodiment, (R １ SiO３／２ ) constituent units and (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２ The surface layer has a condensate of an organopolysiloxane compound having the constituent units of ), and the storage modulus of the surface layer at 140°C is 10 MPa or more and 200 MPa or less, thereby providing sufficient release properties for the toner, and (R １ SiO ３／２ ) constituent units and (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２ It is estimated that the presence of these constituent units allows for an appropriate surface elastic modulus and appropriate pressure, thus reducing toner offset and resulting in superior image quality.

[0015] The fixing member according to this embodiment will be described in detail below.

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a fixing member according to this embodiment. The fixing member 10 shown in Figure 1 is a fixing belt having a layered structure in which a metal layer 10B, an adhesive layer 10C, an elastic layer 10D, and a surface layer 10E are sequentially laminated on the outer circumferential surface of a base material 10A. The metal layer 10B, the elastic layer 10D, and the adhesive layer 10C are layers provided as needed. Furthermore, the metal layer 10B is, for example, a base metal layer 102, a metal heating layer 104, and a metal protective layer 106 are laminated in this order. The base metal layer 102 is a layer provided as needed. Furthermore, the metal heating layer 104 is a layer that self-heats due to electromagnetic induction when the fixing member 10 is used in an electromagnetic induction type fixing device.

[0017] The fixing member 10 according to this embodiment is not limited to the structure described above and may have other layers. In the following description, the reference numerals for each layer may be omitted.

[0018] (Surface layer) The fixing member according to this embodiment is (R １ SiO ３／２ ) constituent units and (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２The surface layer contains a condensate of an organopolysiloxane compound having the constituent units of ), and the storage modulus of the surface layer at 140°C is 10 MPa or more and 200 MPa or less.

[0019] -Storage modulus at 140°C- The storage modulus of the surface layer at 140°C is 10 MPa or more and 200 MPa or less, preferably 20 MPa or more and 150 MPa, more preferably 30 MPa or more and 80 MPa, and particularly preferably 40 MPa or more and 70 MPa, from the viewpoint of toner offset suppression and image quality.

[0020] The method for measuring the storage modulus of the surface layer at 140°C in this embodiment is as follows. First, the fixing member is cut into slices along a plane perpendicular to the axial direction (i.e., a plane along the circumferential direction), and layers other than the surface layer (e.g., the base material) are peeled off. After shaping the obtained surface layer into a 4 mm wide sheet, the storage modulus at 140°C is measured in accordance with JIS K7244-4 using a dynamic viscoelasticity testing device (DDV-01FP, manufactured by A&D Co., Ltd.).

[0021] -Organopolysiloxane compound- The surface layer is (R １ SiO ３／２ ) constituent units and (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２ It contains a condensate of an organopolysiloxane compound having the constituent units of ). However, R １ and R ２ Each of these independently represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, R ３ (R) represents an alkenyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms or a group having a linear polydialkylsiloxane structure with 2 to 40 silicon atoms. １ SiO ３／２ ) (also called "T unit") has a molecular skeleton that suppresses molecular mobility at high temperatures, and even at high temperatures, functional groups R remain on the surface of the member. １ (A stable alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, such as a methyl group, which has release properties) is present, thus exhibiting release properties to the toner. (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２The T units (also called "D units") are flexible molecular skeletons and, when present with rigid T units, can be easily adjusted to the desired storage modulus. Therefore, it is estimated that by having a surface layer containing a condensate of organopolysiloxane compounds having T units and D units, it is possible to suppress toner offset, which has been difficult to achieve with materials other than fluorine, and to provide a fixing member that can obtain good image quality with appropriate pressure.

[0022] The organopolysiloxane compound is, from the viewpoint of toner offset suppression and image quality, (R １ SiO ３／２ ) constituent units and (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２ It is preferable that the polymer has the constituent units of (R １ SiO ３／２ ) constituent units and (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２ It is more preferable that the block copolymer has the constituent units of )

[0023] The aforementioned R １ and R ２ Each of these is independently preferably an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, more preferably an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and particularly preferably a methyl group, from the viewpoint of toner offset suppression and image quality. The R that are present in multiple locations in the organopolysiloxane compound １ and R ２ These may be the same group or different groups, but it is preferable that they be the same group.

[0024] The aforementioned R ３ The group having a linear polydialkylsiloxane structure with 2 to 40 silicon atoms is preferably a monovalent or divalent group. If it is a divalent group having a linear polydialkylsiloxane structure with 2 to 40 silicon atoms, then two (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２ ) Structure R ３ This represents a crosslinking group. Multiple R groups exist in the organopolysiloxane compound.３ may be the same group or different groups.

[0025] Said R ３ is preferably a group represented by the following formula (I) or an alkenyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms from the viewpoints of toner offset suppression and image quality, and more preferably a group represented by the following formula (I).

[0026]

[0027] In formula (I), * represents a bond to a silicon atom, X each independently represents a divalent hydrocarbon group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms which may contain an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom or a sulfur atom in place of a carbon atom, and R ４ each independently represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, L represents an integer of 9 or more and 40 or less (preferably an integer of 10 or more and 40 or less), and Y represents a bond to the silicon atom represented by said * or a silyl group having one or more alkoxy groups.

[0028] Said X is each independently preferably a divalent hydrocarbon group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms which may contain an oxygen atom in place of a carbon atom from the viewpoints of toner offset suppression and image quality, and more preferably a divalent hydrocarbon group having 2 to 4 carbon atoms which may contain an oxygen atom in place of a carbon atom. Further, the divalent hydrocarbon group is preferably a linear or branched alkylene group, and more preferably a linear alkylene group.

[0029] The silyl group having one or more alkoxy groups in said Y is preferably a trialkoxysilyl group from the viewpoint of promoting the hydrolysis and condensation of the organopolysiloxane compound, and the alkoxy group is preferably a methoxy group or an ethoxy group. Ys present in plural in the organopolysiloxane compound may be the same group or different groups.

[0030] Said R ４Each is independently preferably an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, more preferably an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and particularly preferably a methyl group, from the viewpoints of toner offset suppression and image quality. The plurality of R ４ may be the same group or different groups, but is preferably the same group. From the viewpoints of toner offset suppression and image quality, L is preferably an integer of 15 or more and 30 or less.

[0031] In the organopolysiloxane compound, the number of structural units of (R １ SiO ３／２ ) is m, and the number of structural units of (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２ ) is n. The value of m / n is preferably 1 or more and 10 or less, more preferably more than 1 and 8 or less, still more preferably 1.5 or more and 5.0 or less, and particularly preferably 2.0 or more and 4.0 or less, from the viewpoints of toner offset suppression and image quality.

[0032] m represents the number of (R １ SiO ３／２ ) structures in the organopolysiloxane compound, and is preferably 5 or more and 500 or less, more preferably 10 or more and 200 or less, and particularly preferably 20 or more and 100 or less, from the viewpoints of toner offset suppression and image quality.

[0033] n represents the number of (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２ ) structures in the organopolysiloxane compound, and is preferably 1 or more and 500 or less, more preferably 2 or more and 200 or less, and particularly preferably 5 or more and 100 or less, from the viewpoints of toner offset suppression and image quality. Also, n is preferably smaller than m from the viewpoints of toner offset suppression and image quality.

[0034] The organopolysiloxane compound can be obtained, for example, by the production method described in International Publication No. 2023 / 157603.

[0035] The weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of the organopolysiloxane compound in gel permeation chromatography (GPC), calculated on a polystyrene basis, is preferably 1,000 to 50,000, and more preferably 3,000 to 30,000. If Mw is 1,000 or higher, it exhibits excellent film-forming properties and uniform coating. Furthermore, if Mw is 50,000 or lower, it exhibits excellent reactivity and workability.

[0036] The content of the organopolysiloxane compound in the surface layer is preferably 80% by mass or more, more preferably 90% by mass or more, even more preferably 95% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 100% by mass, based on the total mass of the surface layer, from the viewpoint of toner offset suppression and image quality. That is, the surface layer is (R １ SiO ３／２ ) constituent units and (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２ It is particularly preferable that the layer consists of an organopolysiloxane compound having the constituent units of )

[0037] The organopolysiloxane compound undergoes hydrolysis of the alkoxy groups bonded to the silicon atoms by moisture in the surface layer or air, and readily undergoes a condensation reaction with the hydroxyl groups (silanol groups) or alkoxy groups bonded to the silicon atoms to form a cured product (condensate). The curing conditions can be appropriately selected depending on the type of substrate, but specifically, at 10 to 30°C, it can be 12 hours or more, and particularly 12 hours to 7 days. A condensation reaction catalyst may also be used to promote the condensation reaction, and examples of such condensation reaction catalysts include metal alkoxide compounds such as Ti, Al, Zr, and Sn, metal chelate compounds, metal ester compounds, amine compounds, and alkali metal compounds.

[0038] - Contact Angle Hysteresis - The contact angle hysteresis of the paraffin wax on the surface layer at 140°C is preferably 20° or less, more preferably 12° or less, even more preferably 8° or less, and particularly preferably 5° or less. Within this range, the contact angle hysteresis between the release agent contained in the toner and the surface layer of the fixing member is reduced, improving the release effect of the release agent and suppressing toner offset.

[0039] The method for measuring the contact angle hysteresis of paraffin wax at 140°C on the surface in this embodiment is as follows: A test piece is taken from the fixing member to be measured and placed on a heater made to match the sample support part of a contact angle meter (Kyowa Interface Science CA-X type). 6.5 ml of paraffin wax (FNP-0090: manufactured by Nippon Seiro Co., Ltd.) is dropped onto the surface of the fixing member, and the surface temperature of the fixing member is heated to 140°C. With the wax melted, the sample is tilted and the forward and backward angles when the wax droplet slides down are measured. The contact angle hysteresis is obtained by subtracting the backward angle from the forward angle.

[0040] The thickness of the surface layer is preferably 1 μm to 100 μm, more preferably 5 μm to 50 μm, and even more preferably 10 μm to 40 μm, from the viewpoint of toner offset suppression and image quality.

[0041] (Base Material) When the fixing member is in roll form, the base material can be a cylindrical body made of metal (aluminum, SUS, iron, copper, etc.), alloy, ceramics, FRM (fiber-reinforced metal), etc. When the fixing member is in roll form, the outer diameter and thickness of the base material are preferably, for example, an outer diameter of 10 mm or more and 50 mm or less, and for example, if it is made of aluminum, a thickness of 0.5 mm or more and 4 mm or less is preferable, and if it is made of SUS (stainless steel) or iron, a thickness of 0.1 mm or more and 2 mm or less is preferable.

[0042] On the other hand, when the fixing member is in the form of a belt, the base material can be, for example, a metal belt (e.g., a metal belt made of nickel, aluminum, stainless steel, etc.) or a resin belt (e.g., a resin belt made of polyimide, polyamide-imide, polyphenylene sulfide, polyetheretherketone, polybenzimidazole, etc.). The resin belt may have a conductive agent or the like added and dispersed to control its volume resistivity. Specifically, an example of a resin belt is a polyimide belt in which carbon black has been added and dispersed to control its volume resistivity. Another example of a resin belt is one in which both ends of a long polyimide sheet are combined in a puzzle-like manner and heat-sealed together using a heat-sealing member to form a belt.

[0043] When the fixing member is belt-shaped, the thickness of the base material is often, for example, 20 μm or more and 200 μm or less, preferably 30 μm or more and 150 μm or less, and more preferably 40 μm or more and 130 μm or less.

[0044] Furthermore, an adhesive may be applied to the outer surface of the substrate. In other words, the substrate and the elastic layer may be laminated with an adhesive layer in between.

[0045] (Metal Layer) The fixing member according to this embodiment may have a metal layer between the substrate and the elastic layer. The base metal layer is a layer formed in advance on the outer surface of the substrate by electroplating to form a metal heating layer. Examples of the base metal layer include an electroless nickel plating layer and an electroless copper plating layer. Note that "nickel plating layer" refers to a plating layer containing Ni (e.g., a nickel layer, a nickel alloy layer, etc.), and "copper plating layer" refers to a plating layer containing Cu (e.g., a copper layer, a copper alloy layer, etc.). The metal heating layer is a heating layer that has the function of generating heat by eddy currents generated in this layer when a magnetic field is applied, and is composed of a metal that produces electromagnetic induction. Examples of metals that produce electromagnetic induction include a single metal such as nickel, iron, copper, gold, silver, aluminum, chromium, tin, or zinc, or an alloy containing two or more types of metals. The metal protective layer is provided in contact with the metal heating layer to improve the film strength of the metal heating layer, suppress cracking due to repeated deformation and oxidative degradation due to repeated heating over long periods, and maintain the heating characteristics. The metal protective layer is preferably a thin film with high tensile strength, high durability and oxidation resistance, and preferably an oxide-resistant metal. Specifically, it is often composed of copper or nickel, and in particular, it is preferable to include nickel (or a nickel alloy), which is an oxide-resistant metal, from the viewpoint of suppressing the occurrence of cracks due to repeated deformation and oxidative degradation due to repeated heating.

[0046] (Elastic layer) The fixing member according to this embodiment preferably further has an elastic layer between the substrate and the surface layer. Examples of materials for the elastic layer include fluororesin, silicone resin, silicone rubber, fluororubber, fluorosilicone rubber, etc. From the viewpoint of heat resistance, thermal conductivity, and insulation, for example, silicone rubber is preferred as the material for the elastic layer.

[0047] Examples of silicone rubber include RTV silicone rubber, HTV silicone rubber, and liquid silicone rubber. Specifically, examples include polydimethyl silicone rubber (MQ), methyl vinyl silicone rubber (VMQ), methylphenyl silicone rubber (PMQ), and fluorosilicone rubber (FVMQ).

[0048] As for the silicone rubber, those with an addition reaction type crosslinking mechanism are preferred. Furthermore, various types of functional groups are known for silicone rubber, and dimethyl silicone rubber having methyl groups, methylphenyl silicone rubber having methyl and phenyl groups, and vinyl silicone rubber having vinyl groups (vinyl group-containing silicone rubber) are preferred. More preferably, vinyl silicone rubber having vinyl groups is preferred, and even more preferably, silicone rubber having an organopolysiloxane structure having vinyl groups and a hydrogen organopolysiloxane structure having hydrogen atoms (SiH) bonded to silicon atoms is preferred.

[0049] In the elastic material contained in the elastic layer, it is preferable that silicone rubber is the main component (i.e., it is present in a mass ratio of 50% or more), more preferably that its content is 90% by mass or more, and even more preferably 99% by mass or more.

[0050] The elastic layer may contain various additives. Examples of additives include reinforcing agents (such as carbon black), fillers (such as calcium carbonate), softeners (such as paraffin), processing aids (such as stearic acid), antioxidants (such as amine), vulcanizing agents (such as sulfur, metal oxides, peroxides), and functional fillers (such as alumina).

[0051] The thickness of the elastic layer is often, for example, 30 μm or more and 1 mm or less, and preferably 100 μm or more and 500 μm or less.

[0052] (Adhesive layer) The fixing member according to this embodiment may further have an adhesive layer between the metal layer and the elastic layer, between the elastic layer and the surface layer, etc. The adhesive layer may be a cured layer of a composition containing an adhesive.

[0053] Examples of adhesives include silane coupling agent-based adhesives, silicone-based adhesives, epoxy resin-based adhesives, and urethane resin-based adhesives.

[0054] -Other Components- The composition for forming the adhesive layer may contain other components as needed. Examples of other components include solvents (e.g., butyl acetate, etc.) and inorganic particles (e.g., iron oxide, silica, etc.). The composition may also further contain a silane coupling agent together with the SiH group-containing polysiloxane. Examples of silane coupling agents include alkoxy group-containing silane coupling agents, alkenyl group-containing silane coupling agents, epoxy group-containing silane coupling agents, amino group-containing silane coupling agents, methacrylic group-containing silane coupling agents, and styryl group-containing silane coupling agents.

[0055] (Toner peeling force) The toner peeling force of the fixing member according to this embodiment at 140°C is preferably 50 kPa or less, more preferably 30 kPa or less, even more preferably 18 kPa or less, and particularly preferably 1 kPa or more and 18 kPa or less, from the viewpoint of toner offset suppression and image quality.

[0056] The method for measuring the toner peeling force of the fixing member at 140°C according to this embodiment is as follows. First, as preparation, prepare A4 size P paper (manufactured by Fujifilm Business Innovation Co., Ltd.) and prepare a test sheet by printing a process black image across the entire surface using a copier (ApeosPort-V C3375) manufactured by Fujifilm Business Innovation Co., Ltd. Also, take a 10 mm x 10 mm square sample piece from the fixing member to be measured. Next, attach the sample piece to the probe of a tack tester (TA-500, manufactured by UBM) that is at room temperature (25°C) or preheated to 140°C, bring it close to the test sheet at a speed of 0.1 mm / s, press it against the image surface of the test sheet, and then apply a pressing load of 5.0 kgf / cm. ２ The sample is held for 10 seconds, and the peeling force is measured when it is pulled up at a pulling speed of 10 mm / s. Here, the developer used was the developer for the Fujifilm Business Innovation Co., Ltd. copier (ApeosPort-V C3375).

[0057] (Applications of the fixing member) The fixing member according to this embodiment is applied to, for example, heating rolls, pressure rolls, heating belts, and pressure belts. Examples of heat sources for heating rolls and heating belts include heating from an external heat source and electromagnetic induction.

[0058] <Fusing Device> The fixing device according to this embodiment includes a fixing member according to this embodiment. The fixing device according to this embodiment has various configurations, for example, comprising a first rotating body and a second rotating body arranged in contact with the outer surface of the first rotating body. The fixing device fixes the toner image by inserting a recording medium on which a toner image has been formed on its surface into the contact portion between the first rotating body and the second rotating body. The fixing member according to this embodiment is applied as at least one of the first rotating body and the second rotating body.

[0059] Below, the fixing apparatus according to this embodiment will be described as follows: as the first embodiment, a fixing apparatus comprising a heating roll and a pressure belt; as the second embodiment, a fixing apparatus comprising a heating belt and a heating roll; and as the third embodiment, an electromagnetic induction heating type fixing apparatus comprising a heating belt and a pressure roll. Note that the fixing apparatus according to this embodiment is not limited to the first to third embodiments, and may be a fixing apparatus comprising a heating roll or a heating belt and a pressure belt. Furthermore, in the fixing apparatus according to this embodiment, the fixing member according to this embodiment may be applied to any of the heating roll, heating belt, pressure roll, and pressure belt.

[0060] (First Embodiment of Fixing Device) A first embodiment of the fixing device will be described with reference to Figure 2. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the first embodiment of the fixing device.

[0061] An example of a fixing device according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 2. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a fixing device according to this embodiment.

[0062] As shown in Figure 2, the fixing device 60 is configured to include, for example, a rotating heating roll 61, a pressure belt 62, and a pressure pad 64 that presses the heating roll 61 via the pressure belt 62. The heating roll 61 is an example of a first rotating body. The pressure belt 62 is an example of a second rotating body. The pressure pad 64 is a pad that presses the heating roll 61 via the pressure belt 62, and is an example of a pressing member. Note that, for example, it is sufficient that the pressure belt 62 and the heating roll 61 are relatively pressurized by the pressure pad 64. Therefore, the pressure belt 62 side may be pressurized against the heating roll 61, or the heating roll 61 side may be pressurized against the pressure belt 62.

[0063] A halogen lamp 66 (an example of a heating device) is installed inside the heating roll 61. The heating device is not limited to a halogen lamp; other heat-generating components may be used.

[0064] On the other hand, a temperature-sensing element 69 is positioned in contact with the surface of the heating roll 61. Based on the temperature measured by this temperature-sensing element 69, the illumination of the halogen lamp 66 is controlled, and the surface temperature of the heating roll 61 is maintained at the target set temperature (for example, 150°C).

[0065] The pressure belt 62 is rotatably supported, for example, by a pressing pad 64 and a belt travel guide 63 located inside it. In the clamping region N (nip portion), it is pressed against the heating roll 61 by the pressing pad 64.

[0066] The pressure pad 64 is positioned, for example, inside the pressure belt 62, and is pressed against the heating roll 61 via the pressure belt 62, forming a clamping area N between it and the heating roll 61. The pressure pad 64 has, for example, a front clamping member 64a positioned on the entrance side of the clamping area N to secure a wide clamping area N, and a peeling clamping member 64b positioned on the exit side of the clamping area N to put strain on the heating roll 61.

[0067] A sheet-like sliding member 68 is provided on the surfaces of the front clamping member 64a and the peeling clamping member 64b that are in contact with the pressure belt 62. The sliding member 68 reduces the sliding resistance between the inner circumferential surface of the pressure belt 62 and the pressing pad 64. The pressing pad 64 and the sliding member 68 are held together by a metal retaining member 65. The sliding member 68 is provided such that, for example, its sliding surface is in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the pressure belt 62. The sliding member 68 is involved in the retention and supply of oil present between it and the pressure belt 62.

[0068] For example, a belt travel guide 63 is attached to the holding member 65. The holding member 65 is configured to allow the pressure belt 62 to rotate.

[0069] The heating roll 61 rotates in the direction of arrow S by, for example, a drive motor (not shown). Following the rotation of the heating roll 61, the pressure belt 62 rotates in the direction of arrow R, opposite to the rotation direction of the heating roll 61. That is, for example, while the heating roll 61 rotates clockwise in Figure 2, the pressure belt 62 rotates counterclockwise.

[0070] Then, the paper K (an example of a recording medium) having an unfixed toner image is guided, for example, by a fixing entrance guide 56 and transported to the clamping area N. As the paper K passes through the clamping area N, the unfixed toner image on the paper K is fixed by the pressure and heat acting on the clamping area N.

[0071] In the fixing device 60, for example, a concave front clamping member 64a that conforms to the outer surface of the heating roll 61 ensures a wider clamping area N compared to a configuration without the front clamping member 64a.

[0072] Furthermore, in the fixing device 60, for example, a peeling and clamping member 64b is positioned to protrude from the outer circumferential surface of the heating roll 61. The peeling and clamping member 64b is configured to locally increase the distortion of the heating roll 61 in the exit region of the clamping area N.

[0073] By arranging the peeling and clamping member 64b in this manner, for example, when the fixed paper K passes through the peeling and clamping region, it will pass through a locally large amount of strain, making it easier for the paper K to peel off from the heating roll 61.

[0074] As an auxiliary device for peeling, for example, a peeling member 70 is provided downstream of the clamping area N of the heating roll 61. The peeling member 70 is held by a holding member 72 in a position where the peeling claws 71 are in close proximity to the heating roll 61 in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the heating roll 61 (counter direction).

[0075] (Second Embodiment of Fixing Device) A second embodiment of the fixing device will be described with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the second embodiment of the fixing device.

[0076] As shown in Figure 3, the fixing device 80 is configured to include, for example, a fixing belt module 86 equipped with a heating belt 84, and a pressure roll 88 pressed against the heating belt 84 (i.e., the fixing belt module 86). For example, a pinching region N (nip portion) is formed at the contact point between the heating belt 84 (i.e., the fixing belt module 86) and the pressure roll 88. In the pinching region N, the paper K (an example of a recording medium) is pressurized and heated to fix the toner image. The heating belt 84 is an example of a first rotating body. The pressure roll 88 is an example of a second rotating body.

[0077] The fixing belt module 86 includes, for example, an endless heating belt 84, a heating and pressing roll 89, and a support roll 90. The heating and pressing roll 89 is a roll around which the heating belt 84 is wrapped on the side of the pressure roll 88, and is rotationally driven by the rotational force of a motor (not shown) and presses the heating belt 84 from its inner circumferential surface toward the pressure roll 88. The support roll 90 is a roll that supports the heating belt 84 from the inside at a different position from the heating and pressing roll 89. The fixing belt module 86 also includes, for example, a support roll 92, a posture correction roll 94, and a support roll 98. The support roll 92 is a roll positioned on the outside of the heating belt 84 and defines its circumferential path. The posture correction roll 94 is a roll that corrects the posture of the heating belt 84 from the heating and pressing roll 89 to the support roll 90. The support roll 98 is a roll that applies tension to the heating belt 84 from its inner circumferential surface downstream of the clamping region N formed by the heating belt 84 and the pressure roll 88.

[0078] The fixing belt module 86 is provided such that, for example, a sheet-like sliding member 82 is interposed between the heating belt 84 and the heating pressure roll 89. The sliding member 82 is provided such that, for example, its sliding surface is in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the heating belt 84. The sliding member 82 is involved in holding and supplying the oil present between it and the heating belt 84. Here, the sliding member 82 is provided such that, for example, both ends are supported by support members 96.

[0079] Inside the heated pressing roll 89, for example, a halogen heater 89A (an example of a heating device) is provided.

[0080] The support roll 90 is, for example, a cylindrical roll. A halogen heater 90A (an example of a heating device) is disposed inside the support roll 90. The halogen heater 90A heats the heating belt 84 from the inner circumferential surface side. Spring members (not shown) are disposed at both ends of the support roll 90, for example, to press the heating belt 84 outward.

[0081] The support roll 92 is, for example, a cylindrical roll. A release layer is formed on the surface of the support roll 92. The release layer on the support roll 92 is formed, for example, to prevent toner and paper dust from the outer surface of the heating belt 84 from accumulating on the support roll 92. Inside the support roll 92, for example, a halogen heater 92A (an example of a heating device) is arranged. The halogen heater 92A heats the heating belt 84 from the outer surface side.

[0082] In other words, for example, the heating belt 84 is heated by the heating and pressing roll 89, the support roll 90, and the support roll 92.

[0083] The posture correction roll 94 is, for example, a cylindrical roll. Near the posture correction roll 94, an end position measuring mechanism (not shown) is arranged to measure the end position of the heating belt 84. The posture correction roll 94 is equipped with, for example, an axial displacement mechanism (not shown) that displaces the contact position of the heating belt 84 in the axial direction according to the measurement result of the end position measuring mechanism. The posture correction roll 94 is configured to control the meandering of the heating belt 84.

[0084] On the other hand, the pressure roll 88 is supported, for example, so as to be rotatable. The pressure roll 88 is pressed against the portion where the heating belt 84 is wound around the heating pressure roll 89 by a biasing device, for example, a spring (not shown). The heating belt 84 (i.e., the heating pressure roll 89) of the fixing belt module 86 rotates in the direction of arrow S. Consequently, the pressure roll 88 rotates in the direction of arrow R, following the heating belt 84 (i.e., the heating pressure roll 89).

[0085] The paper K, which has an unfixed toner image (not shown), is then transported in the direction of arrow P and guided to the clamping area N of the fixing device 80. As the paper K passes through the clamping area N, the unfixed toner image on the paper K is fixed by the pressure and heat acting on the clamping area N.

[0086] In the fixing device 80, a halogen heater (halogen lamp) was described as one example of a heating device. However, the device is not limited to this, and other heating elements such as radiant lamps (heating elements that emit radiation (infrared rays, etc.)) and resistive heating elements (heating elements that generate Joule heat by passing an electric current through a resistor: for example, those made by forming a resistive film on a ceramic substrate and firing it) may also be used.

[0087] (Third Embodiment of Fixing Device) A third embodiment of the fixing device will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the third embodiment of the fixing device (i.e., fixing device 200).

[0088] As shown in Figure 4, the fixing device 200 is an electromagnetic induction heating type fixing device equipped with a heating belt 220 having a metal heating layer. In the fixing device 200, a pressure roll 211 is positioned to pressurize a portion of the heating belt 220. A contact area (i.e., a nip) is formed between the heating belt 220 and the pressure roll 211, and the heating belt 220 is curved to conform to the circumferential surface of the pressure roll 211. Furthermore, a bent portion is formed at the end of the contact area (i.e., the nip) where the heating belt 220 bends, in order to ensure the release of the recording medium.

[0089] The pressure roll 211 is constructed by forming an elastic layer 211B made of silicone rubber or the like on a base material 211A, and further forming a surface layer 211C on the elastic layer 211B.

[0090] Inside the heating belt 220, an opposing member 213 is positioned opposite the pressure roll 211. The opposing member 213 is made of metal, heat-resistant resin, heat-resistant rubber, or the like. The opposing member 213 has a pad 213B that contacts the inner circumferential surface of the heating belt 220 to locally increase the pressure, and a support 213A that supports the pad 213B.

[0091] An electromagnetic induction heating device 212, which incorporates an electromagnetic induction coil 212a, is provided at a position opposite the pressure roll 211 with respect to the heating belt 220. The electromagnetic induction heating device 212 changes the magnetic field generated by the excitation circuit by applying an alternating current to the electromagnetic induction coil. This generates eddy currents in the metal heating layer (not shown) of the heating belt 220. These eddy currents are converted into heat (Joule heat) by the electrical resistance of the metal heating layer (not shown), causing the surface of the heating belt 220 to heat up. Note that the position of the electromagnetic induction heating device 212 is not limited to the position shown in Figure 4. For example, the electromagnetic induction heating device 212 may be installed upstream of the contact area of ​​the heating belt 220 in the rotation direction B, or it may be installed inside the heating belt 220.

[0092] In the fixing device 200, a drive force is transmitted by a drive device to a gear fixed to the end of the heating belt 220. As a result, the heating belt 220 rotates on its own in the direction of arrow B, and the pressure roll 211 rotates in the opposite direction, i.e., in the direction of arrow C, as the heating belt 220 rotates. The recording medium 215 on which the unfixed toner image 214 is formed is passed through the contact area (nip) between the heating belt 220 and the pressure roll 211 in the fixing device 200 in the direction of arrow A. At that time, the unfixed toner image 214 is in a molten state and pressure is applied to fix it to the recording medium 215.

[0093] <Image Forming Apparatus> Next, an image forming apparatus according to this embodiment will be described. The image forming apparatus according to this embodiment includes: an image holder; a charging device for charging the surface of the image holder; an electrostatic latent image forming device for forming an electrostatic latent image on the charged surface of the image holder; a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the image holder with toner to form a toner image; a transfer device for transferring the toner image formed on the surface of the image holder to a recording medium; and a fixing device for fixing the toner image to the recording medium. The fixing device is the fixing apparatus according to this embodiment described above.

[0094] In this embodiment, the fixing device in the image forming apparatus may be made into a cartridge that can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus. In other words, the image forming apparatus according to this embodiment may include the fixing device according to this embodiment as a component of the process cartridge.

[0095] The image forming apparatus according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0096] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an image forming apparatus according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 5, the image forming apparatus 1200 according to this embodiment includes a photoreceptor (an example of an image holder) 1202, a charging device 1204, a laser exposure device (an example of an electrostatic latent image forming apparatus) 1206, a mirror 1208, a developing device 1210, an intermediate transfer body 1212, a transfer roll (an example of a transfer device) 1214, a cleaning device 1216, a static elimination device 1218, a fixing device 1100, and a paper feeding device. The paper feeding device includes a paper feeding unit 1220, a paper feeding roller 1222, an alignment roller 1224, and a recording medium guide 1226.

[0097] When image formation is performed in the image forming apparatus 1200, first, a non-contact type charging device 1204, which is provided in close proximity to the photoreceptor 1202, charges the surface of the photoreceptor 1202.

[0098] Laser light corresponding to the image information (signal) of each color is shone from the laser exposure device 1206 onto the surface of the photoreceptor 1202, which has been charged by the charging device 1204, via the mirror 1208. This forms an electrostatic latent image.

[0099] The developing device 1210 applies toner to the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 1202. This forms a toner image. The developing device 1210 is equipped with separate developing units (not shown) for each of the four colors of toner: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. As the developing device 1210 rotates in the direction of the arrow, the toner of each color is applied to the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 1202, and a toner image is formed.

[0100] The toner images of each color formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 1202 are transferred to the outer surface of the intermediate transfer body 1212 by a bias voltage applied between the photoreceptor 1202 and the intermediate transfer body 1212. Specifically, at the contact point between the photoreceptor 1202 and the intermediate transfer body 1212, the toner images are superimposed and transferred to the outer surface of the intermediate transfer body 1212 in a manner that matches the image information for each color of toner image.

[0101] The intermediate transfer body 1212 rotates in the direction of arrow E with its outer surface in contact with the surface of the photoreceptor 1202. In addition to the photoreceptor 1202, a transfer roll 1214 is provided around the intermediate transfer body 1212.

[0102] The intermediate transfer body 1212, onto which the multi-colored toner image has been transferred, rotates in the direction of arrow E. The recording medium 1115 is transported to the contact area in the direction of arrow A by the paper feed device. The toner image on the intermediate transfer body 1212 is then transferred to the surface of the recording medium 1115 at the contact area between the transfer roll 1214 and the intermediate transfer body 1212.

[0103] The feeding of paper to the contact area between the intermediate transfer body 1212 and the transfer roll 1214 is performed as follows: The recording medium 1115 housed in the paper feeding unit 1220 is pushed up to a position where it contacts the paper feeding roller 1222 by a recording medium pushing mechanism (not shown) built into the paper feeding unit 1220. When the recording medium 1115 contacts the paper feeding roller 1222, the paper feeding roller 1222 and the alignment roller 1224 rotate, causing the recording medium to be transported along the recording medium guide 1226 in the direction of arrow A.

[0104] The toner image transferred to the surface of the recording medium 1115 moves in the direction of arrow A and is fixed to the recording medium 1115 by the fixing device 1010. Specifically, in the contact area (nip) between the heating belt 1111 and the pressure roll 1110, the toner image is pressed onto the surface of the recording medium 1115 in a molten state and fixed to the surface of the recording medium 1115. This forms an image fixed to the surface of the recording medium 1115.

[0105] After transferring the toner image onto the surface of the intermediate transfer body 1212, the surface of the photoreceptor 1202 is cleaned by the cleaning device 1216. After the surface of the photoreceptor 1202 is cleaned by the cleaning device 1216, static electricity is removed by the static elimination device 1218.

[0106] Although this embodiment has been described above, it is not intended to be interpreted as being limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications, changes, and improvements are possible.

[0107] The present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to examples. However, these examples are not intended to limit the present disclosure. In this document, "parts" and "%" refer to mass unless otherwise specified.

[0108] <Example 1> An N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) solution (solid content concentration 18% by mass) of a polyimide precursor (polyimide varnish "U Varnish-S", manufactured by UBE Co., Ltd.) was spirally coated onto a mold with a diameter of φ30 mm to a film thickness of 60 μm, and fired by the next step heating up to 380°C. The step heating was performed by raising the temperature from 25°C to 120°C, maintaining it at 120°C for 1 hour, raising the temperature from 120°C to 250°C, maintaining it at 250°C for 1 hour, raising the temperature from 250°C to 380°C, maintaining it at 380°C for 1 hour, and then lowering the temperature from 380°C to 25°C. This yielded a tubular polyimide substrate (hereinafter referred to as PI substrate) consisting of a single layer of polyimide resin with an outer diameter of 30 mm, a film thickness of 60 μm, and a width of 400 mm.

[0109] A liquid honing apparatus (LH-8TTHiS, manufactured by Fuji Seiki Co., Ltd.) was used to roughen the surface of a PI substrate, resulting in a surface roughness Ra of 0.5 μm to 1.0 μm. The honing conditions were abrasive grain #320, spray pressure of 0.3 MPa, spray distance of 100 mm, and processing time of 1.5 minutes. After washing off the abrasive grains from the roughened surface of the PI substrate with deionized water, the moisture on the surface of the PI substrate was removed with compressed air.

[0110] Next, the PI substrate was assembled into a plating jig, and an electroless nickel plating layer (metal underlayer) with a thickness of 0.5 μm was formed by electroless plating. Then, after forming an electroless copper plating layer (metal underlayer), electrodes were set on both ends of the plating jig, and electroplating was performed using copper sulfate plating solution to form an electrolytic copper plating layer (metal heating layer) with a thickness of 10 μm. Next, electrodes were set on both ends of the plating jig, and electrolytic nickel plating was performed using electrolytic plating solution to form an electrolytic nickel plating layer (metal protective layer) with a thickness of 10 μm.

[0111] Next, a solution was prepared by mixing equal amounts of solution A and solution B of PRIMER-NO. 32 (two-component silicone rubber primer, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), stirring it, and applying it to the surface of the nickel metal protective layer using a spiral coating device. It was then air-dried at room temperature for 30 minutes and baked at 170°C for 20 minutes to form an adhesive layer with a thickness of 0.2 μm.

[0112] Next, a low-hardness type silicone rubber (X-34-1053-A / B, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.) was diluted with butyl acetate to a solid content concentration of 85% by mass to obtain a coating solution for forming an elastic layer. The coating solution for forming the elastic layer was applied to the surface (i.e., the outer surface) of the adhesive layer to a thickness of 200 μm using a spiral coating apparatus to form a coating film. Next, the formed coating film was subjected to a self-smoothing treatment (30°C x 5 min) and primary vulcanization (120°C x 20 min) to form an elastic layer.

[0113] Next, the following synthesis was performed with reference to Examples 1-3 of International Publication No. 2023 / 157603 (R １ -SiO ３／２ ) and (R ２ R ３ -SiO ２／２ ) ) containing the structural unit of organopolysiloxane compounds (m / n=7, R １ = Methyl group, R ２ = Methyl group, R ３ = vinyl group, and in formula (I), X = ethylene group, Y = bond to the silicon atom represented by * and trimethoxysilyl group, R ４ A methyl group (L=9, Mw=6,000) was diluted with n-heptane to a solid content concentration of 80% to prepare a coating solution for surface formation. The coating solution was applied to the elastic layer to a thickness of 30 μm using a spiral coating apparatus to form a coating film. The coating film was then left to stand at room temperature for 7 days to form a 30 μm surface layer.

[0114] The fixing belt was obtained through the above process.

[0115] <Measurement of Storage Modulus> The storage modulus was measured using the fabricated anchoring belt by the method described above.

[0116] <Measurement of Contact Angle Hysteresis> The contact angle hysteresis was measured using the fabricated fixing belt with the method described above.

[0117] <Measurement of Toner Peeling Force> The toner peeling force was measured using the fabricated fixing belt with the method described above.

[0118] <Evaluation of Toner Offset Suppression> The fabricated fuser belt was installed in the fuser unit of a Fujifilm Business Innovation Co., Ltd. copier (ApeosPort-V C3375), and the image quality formed on the paper (P paper) was visually evaluated. The evaluation was performed according to the following criteria: A: No offset is observed B: Offset is visible upon magnified observation, but there are no problems in actual use C: Offset is visible

[0119] <Image Quality Evaluation> The fabricated fuser belt was mounted on the fuser unit of a Fujifilm Business Innovation Co., Ltd. copier (ApeosPort-V C3375), and the image quality of the images formed on paper (P paper, OSC paper, Lezack 66) was visually evaluated. The evaluation was performed according to the following criteria: A: No problems B: Slight decrease in image quality is observed, but there are no problems in practical use C: Significant decrease in image quality and there are problems in practical use

[0120] <Example 2> The composition of the organopolysiloxane compound from Example 1 was set to "m / n = 7, R １ = Methyl group, R ２ = Methyl group, R ３ = vinyl group, and in formula (I), X = ethylene group, Y = bond to the silicon atom represented by * and trimethoxysilyl group, R ４ Except for changing the value to "methyl group, L=15, Mw=10,000", a fixing belt was prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0121] <Example 3> The composition of the organopolysiloxane compound from Example 1 was set to "m / n = 3.5, R １ = Methyl group, R ２ = Methyl group, R ３ = vinyl group, and in formula (I), X = ethylene group, Y = bond to the silicon atom represented by * and dimethoxymethylsilyl group, R４ Except for changing the value to "methyl group, L=19, Mw=46,000", a fixing belt was prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0122] <Example 4> The composition of the organopolysiloxane compound from Example 1 was set to "m / n = 7, R １ = Methyl group, R ２ = Methyl group, R ３ = vinyl group, and in formula (I), X = ethylene group, Y = bond to the silicon atom represented by * and a dimethoxymethyl group, R ４ Except for changing the value to "methyl group, L=19, Mw=23,000", a fixing belt was prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0123] <Example 5> The composition of the organopolysiloxane compound from Example 1 was set to "m / n = 1.2, R １ = Methyl group, R ２ = Methyl group, R ３ = vinyl group, and in formula (I), X = ethylene group, Y = bond to the silicon atom represented by * and a dimethoxymethyl group, R ４ Except for changing the value to "methyl group, L=19, Mw=15,000", a fixing belt was prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0124] <Example 6> A fixing belt was prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 4, except that the coating film was left to stand at room temperature for 12 hours after the surface layer was formed.

[0125] <Example 7> The composition of the organopolysiloxane compound from Example 1 was set to m / n = 10, R １ = Methyl group, R ２ = Methyl group, R ３ = vinyl group, and in formula (I), X = ethylene group, Y = bond to the silicon atom represented by * and a dimethoxymethyl group, R ４ Except for changing the methyl group, the group represented by L=9, and Mw=5,000, a fixing belt was prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0126] <Example 8> A fuser roll was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 4, except that the base material was changed to an iron base material with an outer diameter of 25 mm and a thickness of 0.4 mm, and the metal layer was removed. Toner offset evaluation and image quality evaluation were performed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the manufactured fuser roll was mounted in the fuser unit of a Fujifilm Business Innovation Co., Ltd. copier (ApeosPrint C3560S).

[0127] <Comparative Example 1> A fixing belt was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the surface layer was formed as follows. Silicone rubber (X-34-1053-A / B, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.) was diluted with butyl acetate to a solid content concentration of 30% by mass to obtain a coating solution for surface layer formation. The coating solution for surface layer formation was applied to the surface of the elastic layer to a thickness of 30 μm using a spiral coating apparatus to form a coating film. Next, the formed coating film was subjected to self-smoothing treatment (30°C x 5 min), primary vulcanization (120°C x 20 min), and secondary vulcanization (200°C x 4 hour) to form a surface layer.

[0128] <Comparative Example 2> The composition of the organopolysiloxane compound of Example 1 was set to m / n = 15, R １ = Methyl group, R ２ = Methyl group, R ３ = vinyl group, and in formula (I), X = ethylene group, Y = bond to the silicon atom represented by * and a dimethoxymethyl group, R ４ A fixing belt was prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1, except that it was changed to a methyl group (L=19, Mw=15,000).

[0129] <Comparative Example 3> A fixing belt was prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the coating film was left to stand at room temperature for 12 hours after the surface layer was formed.

[0130]

[0131] As shown in Table 1, the fixing member of the example was found to be less prone to toner offset and to produce superior image quality compared to the fixing member of the comparative example.

[0132] (((1))) Substrate and (R １ SiO ３／２) constituent units and (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２ A fixing member having a surface layer containing a condensate of an organopolysiloxane compound having the constituent units of ), wherein the storage modulus of the surface layer at 140°C is 10 MPa or more and 200 MPa or less. However, R １ and R ２ Each of these independently represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, R ３ (1) represents an alkenyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms or a group having a linear polydialkylsiloxane structure having 2 to 40 silicon atoms. (2) The fixing member according to (1), wherein the weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of the organopolysiloxane in terms of polystyrene in gel permeation chromatography is 1,000 or more and 50,000 or less. (3) The R ３ However, the fixing member is a group represented by the following formula (I), or an alkenyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, as described in (((1))) or (((2))).

[0133]

[0134] In formula (I), * represents a bond to a silicon atom, and X independently represents a divalent hydrocarbon group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, which may contain an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom, or a sulfur atom instead of a carbon atom, and R ４ Each of the following independently represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, L represents an integer between 10 and 40, and Y represents a silyl group having one or more bonds to the silicon atom represented by * or an alkoxy group.

[0135] (((4))) In the organopolysiloxane, the (R １ SiO ３／２ The number of constituent units of ) is m, and the (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２A fixing member according to any one of (((1))) to (((3))) wherein the m / n value when the number of constituent units of ) is n is 1 or more and 10 or less. (((5))) A fixing member according to any one of (((1))) to (((4))) wherein the storage modulus of the surface layer at 140°C is 30 MPa or more and 80 MPa or less. (((6))) A fixing member according to any one of (((1))) to (((5))) wherein the contact angle hysteresis of the paraffin wax of the surface layer at 140°C is 12° or less. (((7))) A fixing member according to (((6))) wherein the contact angle hysteresis of the paraffin wax of the surface layer at 140°C is 5° or less. (((8))) A fixing member according to any one of (((1))) to (((7))) wherein the toner peeling force at 140°C is 50 kPa or less. (((9))) A fixing member according to (((8))) wherein the toner peeling force at 140°C is 18 kPa or less. (((10))) A fixing apparatus comprising a fixing member according to any one of (((1))) to (((9))). (((11))) An image forming apparatus having an image holder, a charging device for charging the surface of the image holder, an electrostatic latent image forming device for forming an electrostatic latent image on the charged surface of the image holder, a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the image holder with toner to form a toner image, a transfer device for transferring the toner image formed on the surface of the image holder to a recording medium, and a fixing apparatus according to (((10))) for fixing the toner image to the recording medium.

[0136] According to the disclosure relating to (((1))), the organopolysiloxane compound is the (R １ SiO ３／２ ) constituent units or the (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２Compared to a surface layer containing only organopolysiloxane compounds that do not contain the constituent units of ), a fixing member is provided that is less prone to toner offset and produces images with superior quality. According to the disclosure of (((2))), compared to a case where the weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of the organopolysiloxane in gel permeation chromatography is less than 1,000 or more than 50,000, a fixing member is provided that is less prone to toner offset and produces images with superior quality. According to the disclosure of (((3))), the R ３ However, compared to the case of an alkyl group, a fixing member is provided in which toner offset is less likely to occur and the image quality of the obtained image is superior. According to the disclosure in (((4))), a fixing member is provided in which toner offset is less likely to occur and the image quality of the obtained image is superior compared to the case where the m / n value is less than 1 or greater than 10. According to the disclosure in (((5))), a fixing member is provided in which toner offset is less likely to occur and the image quality of the obtained image is superior compared to the case where the storage modulus of the surface layer at 140°C is less than 30 MPa or greater than 80 MPa. According to the disclosure in (((6))), a fixing member is provided in which toner offset is less likely to occur and the image quality of the obtained image is superior compared to the case where the contact angle hysteresis of the paraffin wax of the surface layer at 140°C is greater than 12°. According to the disclosure in (((7))), a fixing member is provided in which toner offset is less likely to occur and the image quality of the obtained image is superior compared to the case where the contact angle hysteresis of the paraffin wax of the surface layer at 140°C is greater than 5°. According to the disclosure relating to ((8)), a fixing member is provided in which toner offset is less likely to occur and the image quality of the obtained image is superior compared to the case where the toner peeling force at 140°C is greater than 50 kPa. According to the disclosure relating to ((9)), a fixing member is provided in which toner offset is less likely to occur and the image quality of the obtained image is superior compared to the case where the toner peeling force at 140°C is greater than 18 kPa. According to the disclosure relating to ((10)) or ((11)), the surface layer of the fixing member is an organopolysiloxane compound, as described above (R １ SiO３／２ ) constituent units or the (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２ Compared to cases where only organopolysiloxane compounds that do not contain the constituent units of ) are included, a fixing device or image forming apparatus is provided that is less prone to toner offset and produces images with superior quality.

[0137] The symbols are explained below: 1200 Image forming apparatus 1202 Photoreceptor 1204 Charging apparatus 1206 Exposure apparatus 1210 Developing apparatus 1212 Intermediate transfer body 1214 Transfer roll 1100 Fixing apparatus

[0138] Furthermore, the disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-010956 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. All documents, patent applications, and technical standards described herein are incorporated herein by reference to the same extent as if each individual document, patent application, and technical standard were specifically and individually noted as being incorporated by reference.

Claims

1. Substrate and (R １ SiO ３／２ ) constituent units and (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２ A fixing member having a surface layer containing a condensate of an organopolysiloxane compound having the constituent units of ), wherein the storage modulus of the surface layer at 140°C is 10 MPa or more and 200 MPa or less. However, R １ and R ２ Each of these independently represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, R ３ This represents an alkenyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms or a group having a linear polydialkylsiloxane structure with 2 to 40 silicon atoms.

2. The fixing member according to claim 1, wherein the weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of the organopolysiloxane compound in gel permeation chromatography is 1,000 or more and 50,000 or less in terms of polystyrene.

3. The R ３ The fixing member according to claim 1, wherein R is a group represented by the following formula (I) or an alkenyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms. In formula (I), * represents a bond to a silicon atom, X each independently represents a divalent hydrocarbon group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms which may contain an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom or a sulfur atom in place of a carbon atom, and R ４ each independently represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, L represents an integer of 10 or more and 40 or less, and Y represents a bond to the silicon atom represented by * or a silyl group having one or more alkoxy groups.

4. In the organopolysiloxane compound, the (R １ SiO ３／２ The number of constituent units of ) is m, and the (R ２ R ３ SiO ２／２ The fixing member according to claim 1, wherein the value of m / n, when the number of constituent units of ) is n, is 1 or more and 10 or less.

5. The fixing member according to claim 1, wherein the storage modulus of the surface layer at 140°C is 30 MPa or more and 80 MPa or less.

6. The fixing member according to claim 1, wherein the contact angle hysteresis of the paraffin wax of the surface layer at 140°C is 12° or less.

7. The fixing member according to claim 6, wherein the contact angle hysteresis of the paraffin wax of the surface layer at 140°C is 5° or less.

8. The fixing member according to claim 1, wherein the toner peeling force at 140°C is 50 kPa or less.

9. The fixing member according to claim 8, wherein the toner peeling force at 140°C is 18 kPa or less.

10. A fixing device comprising the fixing member according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image holder; a charging device for charging the surface of the image holder; an electrostatic latent image forming device for forming an electrostatic latent image on the charged surface of the image holder; a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the image holder with toner to form a toner image; a transfer device for transferring the toner image formed on the surface of the image holder to a recording medium; and a fixing device according to claim 10 for fixing the toner image to the recording medium.

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