Polymetalloxane Charging Member Surface Layer for Toner Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Charging members used in electrophotographic processes face issues with toner and external additives adhering to their surface, leading to reduced charging performance, especially under low temperature and low humidity conditions, and existing solutions like inorganic oxide films do not provide sufficient durability and stability.
Innovation Solution
A charging member with a surface layer containing polymetalloxane, featuring metal atoms like aluminum, zirconium, or tantalum, and specific organic groups bonded to these metals, which facilitates electron release and reduces adhesion of toner and external additives, achieved through a sol-gel method using metal alkoxides and specific compounds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a surface layer is provided on the electro-conductive elastic layer to suppress bleeding of low molecular weight components, then the bleeding is suppressed, but toner and external additives still adhere to the surface over time
Solution Approach 1:
The surface layer is constructed as a composite material containing polymetalloxane (inorganic component) and specific organic compounds (carboxylic acid or sulfonic acid groups). This composite structure combines the low molecular weight suppression capability of the inorganic polymetalloxane network with the anti-adhesion properties of the organic functional groups, preventing both bleeding and toner adhesion simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the surface layer by incorporating polymetalloxane with specific metal atoms (Al, Si, Ti, Zr, Ta) and organic compounds with specific functional groups. This parameter change transforms the surface properties to achieve both suppression of low molecular weight bleeding and prevention of toner adhesion, resolving the contradiction between initial performance and long-term stability.
2Reliability
If an inorganic oxide film is formed by sol-gel method to suppress bleeding, then bleeding is suppressed, but charging performance deteriorates under low temperature and low humidity conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The surface layer combines inorganic polymetalloxane with organic compounds containing carboxylic acid or sulfonic acid groups. This composite structure maintains the bleeding suppression benefit of inorganic materials while the organic components provide environmental adaptability, ensuring stable charging performance across different temperature and humidity conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The surface layer provides different functional properties at the molecular level: the polymetalloxane network provides structural stability and bleeding suppression, while the organic functional groups provide environmental adaptability and charge stability. This local differentiation of functional qualities resolves the contradiction between bleeding suppression and environmental adaptability.
3Strength
If the electro-conductive elastic layer contains low molecular weight components to maintain elasticity, then elasticity is maintained, but these components bleed to the surface and adhere to the photosensitive member
Solution Approach 1:
The charging member is segmented into distinct functional layers: the electro-conductive elastic layer contains the low molecular weight components for elasticity, while the surface layer acts as a barrier to prevent these components from bleeding to the exterior. This segmentation isolates the harmful bleeding to the interface between layers while preserving the beneficial elasticity in the bulk material.
Solution Approach 2:
The surface layer acts as an intermediary barrier between the electro-conductive elastic layer and the external environment. It prevents low molecular weight components from migrating to the surface while allowing the elastic layer to maintain its mechanical properties. The polymetalloxane network in the surface layer specifically blocks the migration pathway of low molecular weight components.
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 polymetalloxane surface layer effectively suppresses the adhesion of toner and external additives, maintaining stable charging performance over time and improving the durability of the charging member, allowing for high-quality electrophotographic image formation.
Implementation Method 1
it was found that when an electro-conductive roll according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-173641 is used as a charging member, toner and toner external additives adhere to a surface of the charging member
Implementation Method 2
the inorganic oxide film formed by a sol-gel method can be produced by hydrolyzing, for example, a metal alkoxide
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
There is provided a charging member exhibiting stable charging performance even after the use for a long period of time. The charging member includes a support and a surface layer on the support, the surface layer includes polymetalloxane containing at least one metal atom selected from the group consisting of aluminum, zirconium, titanium, and tantalum, and a group represented by the following formula (1) or (2) is bonded to at least the one metal atom in the polymetalloxane, wherein X represents an atomic group required for forming a ring, A1 and A2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, and a symbol "*" represents a binding site with a metal atom in the polymetalloxane.