Modified Acrylic Urethane Resin Surface Layer for Ghosting Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrophotographic developer carrying members face challenges in preventing ghosting and filming defects in severe environments, particularly in low-humidity and high-temperature conditions, due to residual charge accumulation and tackiness issues.
Innovation Solution
A developer carrying member with a modified acrylic urethane resin surface layer, featuring a specific structural formula that includes a urethane resin with ester bonds and a divalent linking group, is used to reduce residual charge accumulation and suppress tackiness, thereby preventing ghosting and filming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional urethane resin surface layer is used, then wear resistance and charge imparting property are improved, but residual charge accumulation occurs in low-humidity environments causing ghosting
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the surface layer by incorporating specific acrylic resins with particular functional groups (carboxyl, hydroxyl, or amino groups) into the urethane resin matrix. This modifies the surface layer's charge dissipation properties while maintaining its wear resistance, thereby preventing residual charge accumulation and ghosting in low-humidity environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite surface layer material by combining urethane resin with acrylic resin containing specific functional groups. This composite structure leverages the wear resistance of urethane resin while the acrylic component provides enhanced charge dissipation capabilities, resolving the contradiction between durability and charge accumulation prevention.
2Reliability
If a conventional urethane resin surface layer is used, then charge imparting property is improved, but tackiness increases in high-temperature environments causing filming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention adjusts the chemical parameters of the surface layer by selecting acrylic resins with specific functional groups (carboxyl, hydroxyl, or amino groups) that have lower tendency to exhibit tackiness at high temperatures. This modifies the surface layer's thermal behavior while preserving its charge imparting capability, thereby preventing filming defects in high-temperature environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention develops a composite surface layer combining urethane resin with functionally-modified acrylic resin. The acrylic component acts as a modifier that reduces thermal tackiness while the urethane matrix maintains charge imparting properties, thus resolving the contradiction between charge functionality and thermal stability.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the surface layer is modified to reduce residual charge, then ghosting is prevented, but wear resistance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the composition parameters by incorporating acrylic resin at controlled proportions (5-50 mass%) into the urethane resin surface layer. This specific concentration range ensures sufficient charge dissipation to prevent ghosting while maintaining the structural integrity and wear resistance provided by the urethane matrix.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a synergistic composite where the acrylic resin component provides charge dissipation functionality to prevent ghosting, while the urethane resin provides mechanical strength and wear resistance. The composite structure allows both functions to coexist without compromising either property.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If the surface layer is modified to suppress tackiness, then filming is prevented, but charge imparting property may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention selects acrylic resins with specific functional groups (carboxyl, hydroxyl, or amino groups) that inherently exhibit lower tackiness at high temperatures. By controlling the molecular structure and functional composition of the acrylic component, the surface layer achieves reduced thermal tackiness while the urethane resin maintains charge imparting capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite surface layer structure allows the acrylic resin to suppress tackiness and the urethane resin to maintain charge imparting property. The two materials work complementarily, with each component preserving its advantageous properties while mitigating the other's weaknesses.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a developer carrying member, and a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus using the developer carrying member, the developer carrying member including a substrate, an elastic layer, and a surface layer covering a surface of the elastic layer in which the surface layer contains a modified acrylic resin, and the modified acrylic resin has a constituent unit represented by the following structural formula (1).(R1 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms; U represents a urethane resin having, between two adjacent urethane bonds, a structure represented by the following structural formula (2), and at least one of structure selected from a structure represented by the following structural formula (3) and a structure represented by the following structural formula (4); and L represents a divalent linking group containing an ester bond (—O—C(═O)—)).