Conductive Polymer Material for Image Forming Device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Image forming devices face challenges with resistance stability during continuous conduction, leading to reduced operating life and increased electrical load, which affects the quality and speed of image formation.

Innovation Solution

A conductive polymer material is developed with a quaternary ammonium base incorporated in the main chain and an alkyl sulfate radical as an electrolyte anion, blended in specific mass ratios, to enhance resistance stability and longevity, and a method for producing this material involves mixing alkyl sulfate with polyisocyanate and synthesizing a polyurethane resin.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional conductive polymer material is used to enable continuous conduction, then conductivity is achieved, but resistance stability deteriorates over time leading to increased electrical load

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresistance stabilityVSAvoidoperating life
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the electrolyte by selecting specific quaternary ammonium bases with bivalent or more hydroxyl groups and specific alkyl sulfate radicals, and optimizes their blended amount to 0.01-10 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of polymer material. This parameter optimization ensures stable ion conduction and maintains resistance stability during continuous conduction, resolving the contradiction between reliability and operating life

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a composite electrolyte system combining quaternary ammonium base cations with hydroxyl groups and alkyl sulfate anions within the polyurethane resin matrix. This composite structure provides both conductivity and long-term stability, enabling the material to maintain performance over extended operating periods while ensuring resistance stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Productivity

If the image forming device member operates for extended periods, then productivity increases, but electrical load increases due to resistance instability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontinuous conduction capabilityVSAvoidelectrical load
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the electrolyte composition parameters, specifically using quaternary ammonium bases with bivalent or more hydroxyl groups combined with alkyl sulfate radicals in controlled amounts (0.01-10 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of polymer). This parameter optimization enables efficient ion conduction that maintains low electrical load even during extended continuous operation, resolving the contradiction between productivity and energy consumption

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 conductive polymer material achieves improved resistance stability and longer operating life, ensuring high-quality and high-speed image formation by maintaining optimal electrical resistance values during continuous conduction.

Implementation Method 1

the conductive polymer material includes a quaternary ammonium base incorporated in a main chain of a polymer material as an electrolyte cation; and an alkyl sulfate radical as an electrolyte anion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectIonic conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Implementation Method 2

a blended amount of the quaternary ammonium base and the alkyl sulfate radical is 0.01 parts by mass to 10 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the polymer material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrolyte conduction: Electrolyte

Data Source

PatentEP2944659B1Conductive polymer material, method for producing conductive polymer material, and image forming device member
Publication Date: 2019.12.04 BRIDGESTONE CORP
  • EP2944659B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~1(b)
  • EP2944659B1 patent drawingFigure 2(a)~2(d)
  • EP2944659B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A conductive polymer material which can achieve longer operating life by improving resistance stability at the time of performing continuous conduction, a method for producing the conductive polymer material, and an image forming device member are provided. A conductive polymer material containing a quaternary ammonium base incorporated in a main chain of a polymer material as an electrolyte cation, and an alkyl sulfate radical as an electrolyte anion.