Electrophotographic photoreceptor, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus

• US 20070065741A1
• Filed: 02/17/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Kazuyuki, Nukada, Hidemi, Nukada, Katsumi, Iemura, Kaori
• Granted Patent: US 8,263,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/60
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/047 characterised by the charge-generation layers or charge transport layers G03G5/0433 and G03G5/0436 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0567 Other polycondensates comprising oxygen atoms in the main chain; Phenol resins
• 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 5/07 Polymeric photoconductive materials
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/075 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds G03G5/078 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0764 triarylamine
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0765 alkenylarylamine
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0766 benzidine
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0767 comprising hydrazone moiety
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/144 comprising inorganic material

Abstract

An electrophotographic photoreceptor comprises: an electroconductive support; and a photosensitive layer on the electroconductive support, wherein the photosensitive layer having a dynamic hardness of from 20×10⁹ to 150×10⁹ N/m² and an elastic deformation ratio of from 15 to 80%.

Claims

1. An electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising:

an electroconductive support; and

a photosensitive layer on the electroconductive support,

wherein the photosensitive layer having a dynamic hardness of from 20×

10⁹ to 150×

10⁹ N/m² and an elastic deformation ratio of from 15 to 80%.

2. The electrophotographic photoreceptor as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the photosensitive layer comprises an undercoating layer on a side of the electroconductive support, and

the undercoating layer comprises a composite of an acceptive compound and metallic oxide fine particles.

3. The electrophotographic photoreceptor as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the photosensitive layer comprises an undercoating layer on a side of the electroconductive support, and

the undercoating layer comprises:

metallic oxide fine particles; and

an acceptive compound having a group capable of being bonded to the metallic oxide fine particles through reaction therewith.

4. The electrophotographic photoreceptor as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the photosensitive layer comprises a phenol resin-containing layer on the farthest side of the photosensitive layer from the electroconductive support, the phenol resin-containing layer comprising a phenol resin having a crosslinked structure and charge transporting property.

5. The electrophotographic photoreceptor as claimed in claim 4,

wherein the phenol resin is formed from:

a phenol derivative having a methylol group; and

a charge transporting material having a reactive functional group.

6. The electrophotographic photoreceptor as claimed in claim 5,

wherein the charge transporting material having a reactive functional group is a charge transporting material having at least one reactive functional group selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an alkoxy group, an epoxy group, a carbonate group, a thiol group and an amino group.

7. The electrophotographic photoreceptor as claimed in claim 5,

wherein the charge transporting material is represented by formula (I), (II), (III), (IV) or (V):

F[—

(X¹)_n—

R¹-Z¹H]_m 

 

(I)

wherein F represents an organic group derived from a compound having a positive hole transporting capability, X¹ represents an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom, R¹ represents an alkylene group, Z¹ represents an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, NH or COO, n represents 0 or 1, and m represents an integer of from 1 to 4;

F[—

(X²)_n1—

(R²)_n2-(Z²)_n3G]_n4 

 

(II)

wherein F represents an organic group derived from a compound having a positive hole transporting capability, X² represents an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom, R² represents an alkylene group, Z² represents an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, NH or COO, G represents an epoxy group, n1, n2 and n3 each independently represents 0 or 1, and n4 represents an integer of from 1 to 4;

F[-D-Si(R³)_(3-a)Q_a]_b 

 

(III)

wherein F represents an organic group derived from a compound having a positive hole transporting capability, D represents a divalent group having flexibility, R³ represents a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, Q represents a hydrolyzable group, a represents an integer of from 1 to 3, and b represents an integer of from 1 to 4;

wherein F represents a n5-valent organic group having a positive hole transporting capability, T represents a divalent group, Y represents an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom, R⁴, R⁵ and R⁶ each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic group, R⁷ represents a monovalent organic group, m1 represents 0 or 1, and n5 represents an integer of from 1 to 4, provided that R⁶ and R⁷ may be bonded to form a heterocyclic ring containing Y as a hetero atom;

wherein F represents a n6-valent organic group having a positive hole transporting capability, T represents a divalent group, R⁸ represents a monovalent organic group, m2 represents 0 or 1, and n6 represents an integer of from 1 to 4.

8. A process cartridge comprising:

an electrophotographic photoreceptor which comprises an electroconductive support; and

a photosensitive layer on the electroconductive support, wherein the photosensitive layer having a dynamic hardness of from 20×

10⁹ to 150×

10⁹ N/m² and an elastic deformation ratio of from 15 to 80%; and

at least one selected from the group consisting of a charging unit charging the electrophotographic photoreceptor, a developing unit developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photoreceptor with a toner to form a toner image, and a cleaning unit removing the toner remaining on a surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor.

9. The process cartridge as claimed in claim 8,

wherein the photosensitive layer comprises an undercoating layer on a side of the electroconductive support, and

the undercoating layer comprises a composite of an acceptive compound and metallic oxide fine particles.

10. The process cartridge as claimed in claim 8,

wherein the photosensitive layer comprises an undercoating layer on a side of the electroconductive support, and

the undercoating layer comprises:

metallic oxide fine particles; and

an acceptive compound having a group capable of being bonded to the metallic oxide fine particles through reaction therewith.

11. The process cartridge as claimed in claim 8,

wherein the photosensitive layer comprises a phenol resin-containing layer on the farthest side of the photosensitive layer from the electroconductive support, the phenol resin-containing layer comprising a phenol resin having a crosslinked structure and charge transporting property.

12. The process cartridge as claimed in claim 11,

wherein the phenol resin is formed from:

a phenol derivative having a methylol group; and

a charge transporting material having a reactive functional group.

13. The process cartridge as claimed in claim 12,

wherein the charge transporting material having a reactive functional group is a charge transporting material having at least one reactive functional group selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an alkoxy group, an epoxy group, a carbonate group, a thiol group and an amino group.

14. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an electrophotographic photoreceptor which comprises an electroconductive support; and

a photosensitive layer on the electroconductive support, wherein the photosensitive layer having a dynamic hardness of from 20×

10⁹ to 150×

10⁹ N/m² and an elastic deformation ratio of from 15 to 80%;

a charging unit charging the electrophotographic photoreceptor;

an exposing unit forming an electrostatic latent image on the electrophotographic photoreceptor charged;

a developing unit developing an electrostatic latent image with a toner to form a toner image; and

a transferring unit transferring the toner image from the electrophotographic photoreceptor to a transferring material.

15. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 14,

wherein the photosensitive layer comprises an undercoating layer on a side of the electroconductive support, and

the undercoating layer comprises a composite of an acceptive compound and metallic oxide fine particles.

16. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 14,

wherein the photosensitive layer comprises an undercoating layer on a side of the electroconductive support, and

the undercoating layer comprises:

metallic oxide fine particles; and

an acceptive compound having a group capable of being bonded to the metallic oxide fine particles through reaction therewith.

17. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 14,

wherein the photosensitive layer comprises a phenol resin-containing layer on the farthest side of the photosensitive layer from the electroconductive support, the phenol resin-containing layer comprising a phenol resin having a crosslinked structure and charge transporting property.

18. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 17,

wherein the phenol resin is formed from:

a phenol derivative having a methylol group; and

a charge transporting material having a reactive functional group.

19. The process cartridge as claimed in claim 18,

wherein the charge transporting material having a reactive functional group is a charge transporting material having at least one reactive functional group selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an alkoxy group, an epoxy group, a carbonate group, a thiol group and an amino group.