Intermediate Transfer Member Surface Layer PFPE Domain Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrophotographic intermediate transfer members made from thermoplastic resins fail to maintain high transfer performance over time, leading to degraded image quality due to chemical and physical degradation of the surface fluorine compound, resulting in reduced toner transfer efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An electrophotographic intermediate transfer member with a surface layer having a matrix-domain structure, where the matrix includes a binder resin and domains consist of perfluoropolyether, providing a microhardness of 50 MPa or more, which reduces toner adhesion and maintains transfer performance by ensuring PFPE domains are consistently exposed at the surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fluorine compound is applied to the surface of the intermediate transfer member to reduce developer adhesion, then transfer efficiency is improved, but transfer efficiency and image quality gradually decrease with repeated use due to chemical and physical degradation of the fluorine compound
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical and chemical parameters of the surface layer by incorporating perfluoropolyether (PFPE) with specific molecular weight (1,000 to 10,000) and controlling its content (1-50 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of thermoplastic resin). This creates a surface with microhardness of 50 MPa or more that maintains low toner adhesion properties over extended service life
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite surface layer combining thermoplastic resin (such as polyacetal, polyester, or polyamide) with perfluoropolyether (PFPE). This composite structure leverages the durability of thermoplastic resin and the low surface energy of PFPE to achieve both long service life and sustained transfer efficiency
2Ease of manufacture
If an intermediate transfer member made from thermoplastic resin is used to achieve easy molding and cost reduction, then manufacturing ease is improved, but transfer performance is insufficient for high speed operation and high durability requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies the surface properties of thermoplastic resin by controlling microhardness to be 50 MPa or more through specific PFPE incorporation. This parameter change enables thermoplastic resin to achieve both ease of manufacture and high transfer performance suitable for high speed operation
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different properties to different regions: the bulk thermoplastic resin provides ease of manufacture and structural integrity, while the surface layer enriched with PFPE provides low toner adhesion and high transfer performance. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between manufacturing ease and transfer performance
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 effectively retains superior transfer performance and image quality over extended use, as the PFPE domains remain present and functional, reducing toner adhesion and resisting chemical and physical degradation.
Implementation Method 1
a surface layer which has a matrix-domain structure in the cross section in the thickness direction, in which the matrix includes a binder resin, and the domains include a perfluoropolyether
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic intermediate transfer member that, even if an image is repeatedly and continuously transferred, can retain its transfer performance and can obtain an excellent image for a long time. The electrophotographic intermediate transfer member has a base layer and a surface layer, the surface layer has a matrix-domain structure in the cross section in the thickness direction, the matrix is formed of a binder resin, the domains contains a perfluoropolyether, and a microhardness of a surface of the electrophotographic intermediate transfer member measured by an ultramicro-hardness meter is 50 MPa or more.