Electrophotographic member, method of producing the same, process cartridge, and electrophotographic apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9977359-B2
Application number	US-201715421570-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2017
Priority date	Feb 5, 2016
Publication date	May 22, 2018
Grant date	May 22, 2018

Abstract

Provided is an electrophotographic member that is excellent in charge-imparting performance for a toner, and that hardly causes tackiness on its surface even when placed under a high-temperature and high-humidity environment over a long time period. The electrophotographic member includes a substrate and a surface layer, in which the surface layer satisfies the following requirements (A) and (B): (A) the surface layer contains, in a region from its surface to a depth of up to 0.1 μm, a copolymer containing a constituent unit represented by the following structural formula (1), and at least one selected from the group consisting of a constituent unit represented by the following structural formula (2) and a constituent unit represented by the following structural formula (3); and (B) the concentration of a nitrogen atom derived from a nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocyclic amine structure in the copolymer is from 6.0 mass % to 30.0 mass %.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrophotographic member, comprising:
a substrate; and
a surface layer,
wherein the surface layer satisfies the following requirements (A) and (B):

(A) the surface layer contains, in a region from a surface thereof to a depth of up to 0.1 μm, a copolymer containing:
a constituent unit represented by the following structural formula (1); and
at least one selected from the group consisting of a constituent unit represented by the following structural formula (2) and a constituent unit represented by the following structural formula (3):

in the structural formula (1), R 1 represents a methyl group or a hydrogen atom, and X represents an atomic group having a nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocyclic amine structure;

in the structural formula (2), R 2 represents a methyl group or a hydrogen atom, and Y represents an atomic group having a linear or branched alkyl structure having 10 to 18 carbon atoms, or a cycloalkyl structure having 10 to 18 carbon atoms;

in the structural formula (3), R 3 represents a methyl group or a hydrogen atom, and Z represents an atomic group having a silicone structure; and
(B) a concentration of a nitrogen atom derived from the nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocyclic amine structure in the copolymer is from 6.0 mass % to 30.0 mass %.

2. The electrophotographic member according to claim 1 , wherein the surface layer further contains a binder resin.

3. The electrophotographic member according to claim 2 , wherein the binder resin comprises a polyurethane resin.

4. A method of producing the electrophotographic member according to claim 1 including a substrate and a surface layer, the method comprising forming the surface layer by applying, to the substrate, a copolymer containing:
a constituent unit represented by the following structural formula (1); and
at least one selected from the group consisting of a constituent unit represented by the following structural formula (2) and a constituent unit represented by the following structural formula (3):

in the structural formula (1), R 1 represents a methyl group or a hydrogen atom, and X represents an atomic group having a nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocyclic amine structure;

in the structural formula (2), R 2 represents a methyl group or a hydrogen atom, and Y represents an atomic group having a linear or branched alkyl structure having 10 to 18 carbon atoms, or a cycloalkyl structure having 10 to 18 carbon atoms;

in the structural formula (3), R 3 represents a methyl group or a hydrogen atom, and Z represents an atomic group having a silicone structure.

5. A method of producing the electrophotographic member according to claim 4 , wherein the forming the surface layer comprises mixing the copolymer in a binder resin, followed by application of the mixture to the substrate to form the surface layer.

6. A method of producing the electrophotographic member according to claim 5 , wherein the binder resin comprises a polyurethane resin.

7. A process cartridge, which is removably mounted onto a main body of an electrophotographic apparatus, the process cartridge comprising the electrophotographic member according to claim 1 , the electrophotographic member comprising:
a substrate; and
a surface layer,
wherein the surface layer satisfies the following requirements (A) and (B):

(A) the surface layer contains, in a region from a surface thereof to a depth of up to 0.1 μm, a copolymer containing:
a constituent unit represented by the following structural formula (1); and
at least one selected from the group consisting of a constituent unit represented by the following structural formula (2) and a constituent unit represented by the following structural formula (3):

in the structural formula (1), R 1 represents a methyl group or a hydrogen atom, and X represents an atomic group having a nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocyclic amine structure;

in the structural formula (2), R 2 represents a methyl group or a hydrogen atom, and Y represents an atomic group having a linear or branched alkyl structure having 10 to 18 carbon atoms, or a cycloalkyl structure having 10 to 18 carbon atoms;

in the structural formula (3), R 3 represents a methyl group or a hydrogen atom, and Z represents an atomic group having a silicone structure; and
(B) a concentration of a nitrogen atom derived from the nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocyclic amine structure in the copolymer is from 6.0 mass % to 30.0 mass %.

8. An electrophotographic apparatus, comprising the electrophotographic member, the electrophotographic member according to claim 1 comprising:
a substrate; and
a surface layer,
wherein the surface layer satisfies the following requirements (A) and (B):

(A) the surface layer contains, in a region from a surface thereof to a depth of up to 0.1 μm, a copolymer containing:
a constituent unit represented by the following structural formula (1); and
at least one selected from the group consisting of a constituent unit represented by the following structural formula (2) and a constituent unit represented by the following structural formula (3):

in the structural formula (1), R 1 represents a methyl group or a hydrogen atom, and X represents an atomic group having a nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocyclic amine structure;

in the structural formula (2), R 2 represents a methyl group or a hydrogen atom, and Y represents an atomic group having a linear or branched alkyl structure having 10 to 18 carbon atoms, or a cycloalkyl structure having 10 to 18 carbon atoms;

in the structural formula (3), R 3 represents a methyl group or a hydrogen atom, and Z represents an atomic group having a silicone structure; and
(B) a concentration of a nitrogen atom derived from the nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocyclic amine structure in the copolymer is from 6.0 mass % to 30.0 mass %.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Koyanagi Takashi
• Yamada Masaki
• Urushihara Shohei
• Arimura Hideya

Classifications

• C08G18/6216

  Polymers of alpha-beta ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids or of derivatives thereof · CPC title

• G03G15/0233 Primary

  Structure, details of the charging member, e.g. chemical composition, surface properties · CPC title

• C08G18/4825

  Polyethers containing two hydroxy groups (C08G18/4833 - C08G18/5096 take precedence) · CPC title

• C08G18/42

  Polycondensates having carboxylic or carbonic ester groups in the main chain · CPC title

• C08F226/06

  by a heterocyclic ring containing nitrogen · CPC title