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

• US 7,402,366 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Shida, Kazuhisa, Hayata, Hirofumi, Ogura, Kunihiro, Asano, Masao
• Primary Examiner(s): Huff; Mark F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vajda; Peter L
• Application Number:
  US11/390,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20060269857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 430/59.6, 430/60, 430/63, 430/58.2, 430/66, 399/159
• US Class Current: 430/66
• 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, and

wherein the low surface energy component is polysiloxane and a number average molecular weight of the polysiloxane is in a range of 200-20000.

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 1,

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

10<sup>−

4</sup> nm².

4. The organic photoreceptor of claim 1,

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

5. 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.

6. The organic photoreceptor of claim 5,

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

7. 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.

8. The organic photoreceptor of claim 7,

wherein the component A is a polycarbonate component.

9. 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

wherein the low surface energy component is polysiloxane and a number average molecular weight of the polysiloxane is in a range of 200-20000;

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

10. The process cartridge of claim 9,

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

11. The process cartridge of claim 9,

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

12. 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,

wherein the low surface energy component is polysiloxane and a number average molecular weight of the polysiloxane is in a range of 200-20000.

13. The image forming apparatus of claim 12,

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.

14. The image forming apparatus of claim 12,

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