Buried Conductive Backside Layer for Antistatic Thermographic Materials
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thermally developable materials, such as photothermographic and thermographic materials, face challenges with electrostatic charge buildup, leading to imaging defects, equipment misfeeds, and dust attraction, which are not effectively addressed by existing conductive compounds that often compromise other properties like haze, adhesion, and coating quality.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a buried conductive backside layer with organic solvent-soluble alkali metal salts of perfluorinated aliphatic carboxylic acids, sulfonates, or tetrafluoroborate, providing a water electrode resistivity of 1×10^12 ohm/sq or less and a static decay time of less than 100 seconds, while maintaining minimal haze and adhesion, and being compatible with hydrophobic binders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If existing conductive compounds are used to address electrostatic charge buildup, then electrostatic charge reduction is achieved, but other properties like haze, adhesion, and coating quality are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the conductive compound by using perfluorinated aliphatic carboxylic acids, sulfonates, or tetrafluoroborate salts with specific molecular structures and properties. These parameter changes enable the compound to provide conductivity while maintaining compatibility with hydrophobic binders and not adversely affecting coating quality, adhesion, or haze characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite backside layer combining the conductive perfluorinated compound with hydrophobic binder polymers. This composite material achieves both electrostatic charge reduction and maintains coating quality, adhesion, and optical properties, resolving the contradiction between conductivity and manufacturing precision.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conductive compounds are added to reduce electrostatic charge, then charge buildup is reduced, but adhesion and haze properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical parameters of the conductive compound to use perfluorinated compounds with specific molecular weights and structures that are compatible with hydrophobic binders. This parameter change allows the conductive compound to reduce electrostatic charge without compromising adhesion strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs perfluorinated compounds that can be easily incorporated into the backside layer and provide temporary electrostatic charge reduction during the imaging process, without requiring long-term structural integrity or affecting adhesion.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional conductive compounds are used, then electrostatic charge is reduced, but coating quality and optical properties are adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optical and chemical parameters of the conductive compound by selecting perfluorinated compounds with specific molecular structures that do not interfere with light transmission. This ensures electrostatic charge reduction without increasing haze or adversely affecting optical properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The perfluorinated compound acts as an intermediary between the conductive function and the optical properties, mediating the relationship between electrostatic charge reduction and light transmission to ensure both functions are achieved without interference.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reduces electrostatic charge, preventing imaging defects and equipment issues while maintaining desired properties like haze and adhesion, offering a low-cost, compatible, and efficient antistatic solution for thermally developable materials.
Implementation Method 1
providing a water electrode resistivity of 1×10^12 ohm/sq or less and a static decay time of less than 100 seconds
Implementation Method 2
effectively reduces electrostatic charge, preventing imaging defects and equipment issues
Data Source
AI summary
Thermally developable materials including photothermographic and thermographic materials having a buried conductive backside layer comprising one or more binder polymers, and an antistatic compound that is an organic solvent soluble alkali metal salt of any of a perfluorinated aliphatic carboxylic acid having 2 or 3 carbon atoms, a perfluorinated aliphatic sulfonate, or a tetrafluoroborate, provide antistatic coatings that exhibit little dependence on humidity.