Organic photoreceptor, process cartridge, image forming method, and image forming apparatus

• US 20060269857A1
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Hayata, Hirofumi, Shida, Kazuhisa, Ogura, Kunihiro, Asano, Masao
• Granted Patent: US 7,402,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/60
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0542 Polyvinylalcohol, polyallylalcohol; Derivatives thereof, e.g. polyvinylesters, polyvinylethers, polyvinylamines
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0546 Polymers comprising at least one carboxyl radical, e.g. polyacrylic acid, polycrotonic acid, polymaleic acid; Derivatives thereof, e.g. their esters, salts, anhydrides, nitriles, amides
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0578 Polycondensates comprising silicon atoms in the main chain
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0592 Macromolecular compounds characterised by their structure or by their chemical properties, e.g. block polymers, reticulated polymers, molecular weight, acidity
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0596 Macromolecular compounds characterised by their physical properties
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/1473 Polyvinylalcohol, polyallylalcohol; Derivatives thereof, e.g. polyvinylesters, polyvinylethers, polyvinylamines
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/14734 Polymers comprising at least one carboxyl radical, e.g. polyacrylic acid, polycrotonic acid, polymaleic acid; Derivatives thereof, e.g. their esters, salts, anhydrides, nitriles, amides
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/14773 Polycondensates comprising silicon atoms in the main chain
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/14791 Macromolecular compounds characterised by their structure, e.g. block polymers, reticulated polymers, or by their chemical properties, e.g. by molecular weight or acidity
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/14795 Macromolecular compounds characterised by their physical properties

Abstract

Disclosed is an organic photoreceptor possessing a photosensitive layer having a surface layer, provided on a conductive support, wherein the surface layer of the organic photoreceptor contains a block copolymer composed of a matrix component and a low surface energy component, and possesses a sea/island structure having domains formed by aggregating the low surface energy component in the block copolymer, and also disclosed are a process cartridge, an image forming method and an image forming apparatus, employing the foregoing organic photoreceptor.

Claims

1. An organic photoreceptor comprising a photosensitive layer having a surface layer, provided on or over a conductive support,

wherein the surface layer of the organic photoreceptor contains a block copolymer comprising a matrix component (component A) and a low surface energy component (component B), and comprises a sea/island structure having domains formed by aggregating the low surface energy component in the block copolymer.

2. The organic photoreceptor of claim 1,

wherein a number average primary particle diameter of the domains is in a range of 1-100 nm.

3. The organic photoreceptor of claim 2,

wherein the low surface energy component is polysiloxane.

4. The organic photoreceptor of claim 1,

wherein a number average molecular weight of the polysiloxane is in a range of 200-20000.

5. The organic photoreceptor of claim 1,

wherein the surface layer has a domain density of 1-10000 domains per 1×

10⁴ nm².

6. The organic photoreceptor of claim 1,

wherein the number average molecular weight of the component A is in a range of 0.5-300000.

7. The organic photoreceptor of claim 1,

wherein the component A is a styrene-acrylic ester copolymer component.

8. The organic photoreceptor of claim 1,

wherein the organic photoreceptor comprises an intermediate layer, and the photosensitive layer comprises a charge generating layer and a charge transporting layer, provided on or over the conductive support.

9. The organic photoreceptor of claim 1,

wherein the intermediate layer comprises a binder resin containing inorganic particles.

10. The organic photoreceptor of claim 1,

wherein the block copolymer is an A-B block copolymer comprising the low surface energy component (component B) at a mono-terminal.

11. The organic photoreceptor of claim 10,

wherein the component B is a polysiloxane component.

12. The organic photoreceptor of claim 10,

wherein the component A is made of a matrix component polymer, and the number average molecular weight of the polymer is in a range of 0.5-300000.

13. The organic photoreceptor of claim 10,

wherein the component A is a polycarbonate component.

14. A process cartridge employed for an image forming apparatus comprising an organic photoreceptor, and at least one section of a charging section to charge the organic photoreceptor, a latent image forming section to form an electrostatic latent image on the charged organic photoreceptor, a developing section to visualize the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image, a transfer section to transfer the toner image onto a transfer medium from the organic photoreceptor, a discharging section to eliminate charges remaining on the organic photoreceptor after transferring the toner image, and a cleaning section to remove toner remaining on the organic photoreceptor after transferring the toner image,

wherein the organic photoreceptor in which a surface layer of the organic photoreceptor contains a block copolymer comprising a matrix component (component A) and a low surface energy component (component B), and comprises a sea/island structure having domains formed by aggregating the low surface energy component in the block copolymer;

and the at least one section are supported in a cartridge housing as one body capable of being mounted detachably in an image forming apparatus.

15. The process cartridge of claim 14,

wherein a number average primary particle diameter of the domains is in a range of 1-100 nm.

16. The process cartridge of claim 15,

wherein the low surface energy component is polysiloxane.

17. The process cartridge of claim 14,

wherein the block copolymer is an A-B block copolymer comprising the low surface energy component (component B) at a mono-terminal.

18. An image forming apparatus comprising an organic photoreceptor, and at least one section of a charging section to charge the organic photoreceptor, a latent image forming section to form an electrostatic latent image on the charged organic photoreceptor, a developing section to visualize the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image, a transfer section to transfer the toner image onto a transfer medium from the organic photoreceptor, a discharging section to eliminate charges remaining on the organic photoreceptor after transferring the toner image, and a cleaning section to remove toner remaining on the organic photoreceptor after transferring the toner image,

wherein employed is the organic photoreceptor in which a surface layer of the organic photoreceptor contains a block copolymer comprising a matrix component (component A) and a low surface energy component (component B), and comprises a sea/island structure having domains formed by aggregating the low surface energy component in the block copolymer.

19. The image forming apparatus of claim 18,

wherein a number average primary particle diameter of the domains is in a range of 1-100 nm, and the low surface energy component is polysiloxane.

20. The image forming apparatus of claim 18,

wherein the block copolymer is an A-B block copolymer comprising the low surface energy component (component B) at a mono-terminal.