ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PHOTOSENSITIVE MEMBER, METHOD FOR PRODUCING ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PHOTOSENSITIVE MEMBER, PROCESS CARTRIDGE AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS

• US 20140154617A1
• Filed: 11/12/2013
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Maruyama, Akihiro, Ogaki, Harunobu, Yamamoto, Yuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,034,545 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/56
• 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 5/0578 Polycondensates comprising silicon atoms in the main chain
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/06142 arylamine
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/061443 benzidine
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/061473 plural alkenyl groups linked directly to the same aryl group
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/06149 enamine
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/078 comprising silicon atoms
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/14773 Polycondensates comprising silicon atoms in the main chain

Abstract

A charge-transporting layer of an electrophotographic photosensitive member has a matrix-domain structure having a domain which comprises at least one resin selected from the group consisting of a resin A1 a resin A2 and a specific silicone oil, and a matrix which comprises resin C and a charge-transporting substance, wherein a content of the structural unit represented by the formula (A-1) and the structural unit represented by the formula (A-2) is from 10% by mass to 40% by mass based on the total mass of the resin A1 and the resin A2.

Claims

1. An electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising:

a support;

a charge-generating layer formed on the support; and

a charge-transporting layer formed on the charge-generating layer;

wherein the charge-transporting layer is a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and

the charge-transporting layer has a matrix-domain structure having;

a domain which comprises;

a silicone oil having a structural unit represented by the following formula (O-1), and at least one group selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms, a polyether group, an aralkyl group, an epoxy group, and an allyl group; and

at least one resin selected from the group consisting of;

a resin A1 having a structural unit represented by the following formula (A-1) and a structural unit represented by the following formula (B), and

a resin A2 having a structural unit represented by the following formula (A-2) and a structural unit represented by the following formula (B); and

a matrix which comprises;

a resin C having a structural unit represented by the following formula (C); and

a charge-transporting substance;

wherein

a content of the structural unit represented by the formula (A-1) and the structural unit represented by the formula (A-2) is from 10% by mass to 40% by mass based on the total mass of the resin A1 and the resin A2,

2. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein a content of the silicone oil in the charge-transporting layer is from 1% by mass to 50% by mass based on the total mass of the resin A1 and the resin A2.

3. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the silicone oil has at least one group selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group having 3 to 25 carbon atoms, a polyether group having a structure represented by (C₂H₄O)_a(C₃H₆O)_b, a 1-phenylethyl group, a 2-phenylethyl group, a 2-methyl-2-phenylethyl group, a 1-phenylisopropyl group, a 2-phenylisopropyl group, a 3,4-epoxybutyl group, a 7,8-epoxyoctyl group, a 9,10-epoxydecyl group, a glycidyloxypropyl group and a 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyl group, where a and b each represents the repetition number of a structure within brackets, and each independently ranges from 3 to 350.

4. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein a content of the silicone oil is from 0.1% by mass to 20% by mass based on a total mass of all resins contained in the charge-transporting layer.

5. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the charge-transporting substance is at least one selected from the group consisting of a triarylamine compound, a hydrazone compound, a butadiene compound and an enamine compound.

6. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein a content of the charge-transporting substance is from 25% by mass to 70% by mass based on a total mass of the charge-transporting layer.

7. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein a total content of the resin A1 and the resin A2 is from 5% by mass to 50% by mass based on a total mass of all resins contained in the charge-transporting layer.

8. A process cartridge detachably attachable to a main body of an electrophotographic apparatus, wherein the process cartridge integrally supports:

the electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, and

at least one device selected from the group consisting of a charging device, a developing device, a transferring device and a cleaning device.

9. An electrophotographic apparatus comprising:

the electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1; and

a charging device, an exposing device, a developing device and a transferring device.

10. A method for producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising a support, a charge-generating layer formed on the support, and a charge-transporting layer formed on the charge-generating layer, the charge-transporting layer being a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, the method comprising:

preparing a charge-transporting layer coating solution containing;

a silicone oil having a structural unit represented by the following formula (O-1), and at least one group selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms, a polyether group, an aralkyl group, an epoxy group, and an allyl group;

at least one resin selected from the group consisting of;

a resin A1 having a structural unit represented by the following formula (A-1) and a structural unit represented by the following formula (B); and

a resin A2 having a structural unit represented by the following formula (A-2) and a structural unit represented by the following formula (B);

a resin C having a structural unit represented by the following formula (C); and

a charge-transporting substance; and

forming the charge-transporting layer by forming a coating film of the charge-transporting layer coating solution and drying the coating film,

wherein a content of the structural unit represented by the formula (A-1) and the structural unit represented by the formula (A-2) is from 10% by mass to 40% by mass based on a total mass of the resin A1 and the resin A2,