Coating Agent for Electrophotographic Members with Stable Conductivity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conductive resin films used in electrophotographic members exhibit varying electrical resistance over time due to changes in the dispersion of inorganic particles, leading to inconsistent conductivity.
Innovation Solution
A coating agent containing a polymerizable compound with a hydroxyl group and conductive inorganic particles treated with a dispersing agent having a nitrogen atom, where the interatomic distances between the adsorption points and the furthest atoms in the molecules are optimized to maintain consistent dispersion and reduce variations in electrical resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If inorganic fine particles are dispersed in coating liquid using conventional dispersing agents, then the life of the coating liquid can be extended, but the electrical resistance of the conductive resin film varies over time
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical structure parameters of the dispersing agent by specifying that it must contain a nitrogen atom in the molecule, and by defining the relationship between interatomic distances (D1 and D2) in formula (1). This parameter change ensures that the dispersing agent maintains consistent dispersion of inorganic particles over time, thereby stabilizing the electrical resistance of the conductive resin film while extending coating liquid life.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispersing agent containing a nitrogen atom acts as an intermediary substance between the inorganic fine particles and the polymerizable compound. By selecting a dispersing agent with specific molecular structure parameters (D1 and D2 relationship), it mediates the interaction to maintain stable dispersion, preventing aggregation that would cause electrical resistance variations over time.
2Duration of action of moving object
If the dispersion of inorganic particles changes over time, then the coating liquid remains usable, but the conductivity of the conductive resin film becomes inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The invention specifies precise parameter relationships for the dispersing agent molecular structure (the relationship between D1 and D2 in formula (1)), which maintains stable dispersion of inorganic particles throughout the coating liquid's usable period. This parameter control ensures that the conductivity of the resulting conductive resin film remains consistent even as the coating liquid ages.
3Productivity
If conventional dispersing agents are used to extend coating liquid life, then production efficiency improves, but the quality variation of electrophotographic members increases
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the dispersing agent to one containing a nitrogen atom with specific interatomic distance relationships (formula (1)), the invention maintains stable inorganic particle dispersion over extended periods. This enables mass production with consistent quality, as the coating liquid can be stored and used over time without developing variations that would affect electrophotographic member quality.
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 ensures stable conductivity and reduced variations in electrical resistance values of the conductive resin films, enabling the mass production of electrophotographic members with consistent quality.
Implementation Method 1
a polymerizable compound having a hydroxyl group in the molecule
Implementation Method 2
conductive inorganic particles whose surface is treated with a dispersing agent having a nitrogen atom in the molecule
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a coating agent having a polymerizable compound containing a hydroxyl group in the molecule, conductive inorganic particles whose surface is treated with a dispersing agent having a nitrogen atom in the molecule, and a solvent, in which when the interatomic distance between an oxygen atom of the hydroxyl group and the atom farthest away from the oxygen atom in the molecule of the polymerizable compound is represented by D1 and the interatomic distance between the nitrogen atom and the atom farthest away from the nitrogen atom in the molecule of the dispersing agent is represented by D2, D1 and D2 satisfy the relationship represented by the following formula (1).[(|D1−D2|)/D2]≦0.30 Formula (1)