Fixing Member Elasticity Stabilization via Anatase Titanium Oxide
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The initial stage deterioration in elasticity of the cured silicone rubber layer in fixing members for electrophotographic image forming apparatuses, which affects the quality of electrophotographic images, is not adequately addressed by existing technologies despite the presence of unsaturated aliphatic groups that are intended to build up crosslinking structures.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating titanium oxide crystals with an anatase type structure into the cured silicone rubber layer, which promotes radical addition reactions and enhances crosslinking under oxygen-blocking conditions, thereby stabilizing the elasticity of the fixing member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the surface of the cured silicone rubber layer is irradiated with ultraviolet ray to enhance crosslinking and form a dense structure, then the adhesive penetration is inhibited and unsaturated aliphatic groups are preserved, but the initial stage elasticity deterioration still occurs due to insufficient crosslinking density
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the silicone rubber composition by incorporating specific amounts of unsaturated aliphatic groups (0.1-5.0 mmol per 100g silicone rubber) and reactive diluents. This compositional parameter adjustment ensures sufficient crosslinking density while maintaining elasticity stability during the initial heating stage, resolving the contradiction between preserving unsaturated groups and achieving adequate crosslinking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system by combining cured silicone rubber with specific unsaturated aliphatic compounds and reactive diluents. This composite structure provides both the crosslinking density needed for structural stability and the elastic properties required for fixing member performance, simultaneously addressing both requirements of the contradiction.
2Ease of manufacture
If addition curing type silicone rubber composition is used to form the cured silicone rubber layer, then processability is improved and excellent elasticity is achieved, but carbon-carbon bond cleavage occurs during prolonged heating causing aging phenomenon
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potentially harmful carbon-carbon bond cleavage that occurs during heating into a beneficial process by ensuring sufficient unsaturated aliphatic groups remain to undergo radical addition reactions. The controlled cleavage and subsequent re-crosslinking actually reinforce the network structure over time, transforming the aging phenomenon into a strengthening mechanism that improves service life while maintaining ease of manufacture.
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 use of anatase type titanium oxide crystals in the cured silicone rubber layer significantly reduces the initial stage deterioration of elasticity, ensuring stable image quality and prolonged performance of the fixing member.
Implementation Method 1
the anatase type titanium oxide crystal contained in the cured silicone rubber layer promotes a radical addition reaction of an unsaturated aliphatic group in the cured silicone rubber layer to thereby allow a new crosslinking structure to be rapidly built up
Implementation Method 2
the surface of the cured silicone rubber layer in the fixing member is irradiated with ultraviolet ray in the production process of the fixing member. Thus, the surface of the cured silicone rubber layer can have an enhanced degree of crosslinking
Implementation Method 3
The cured silicone rubber layer formed using the addition curing type silicone rubber composition has a crosslinking structure having a carbon-carbon bond built up by an addition reaction of an unsaturated aliphatic group in the addition curing type silicone rubber composition with an active hydrogen group bound to silicon (Si-H group) by heating
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
Provided is a fixing member for electrophotography, which has a configuration wherein a fluororesin layer is bonded onto a cured silicone rubber layer with use of an addition-curable silicone rubber adhesive, and which is capable of more stably maintaining the elasticity of the cured silicone rubber layer and provides electrophotographic images with stable quality. A fixing member for electrophotography according to the present invention comprises a base, a cured silicone rubber layer, and a fluororesin layer that is bonded onto the cured silicone rubber layer. This fixing member for electrophotography is characterized in that: if Hµ0 is the microhardness of a cured silicone rubber that constitutes the cured silicone rubber layer and Hµ1 is the microhardness of the cured silicone rubber that is cured after being immersed in a methyl hydrogen silicone oil for 24 hours, Hµ1/Hµ0 is from 1.5 to 5.0 (inclusive); and the cured silicone rubber layer contains a titanium oxide crystal having an anatase structure.