Electrophotographic photosensitive member, method of producing electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge, and electrophotographic apparatus

• US 9,507,283 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2015
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Maruyama, Akihiro, Ogaki, Harunobu, Yamamoto, Yuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Chapman, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US14/656,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20150277248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 430/58.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 5/0564 Polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0578 Polycondensates comprising silicon atoms in the main chain
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/0589 Macromolecular compounds characterised by specific side-chain substituents or end groups
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/078 comprising silicon atoms
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/14756 Polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 5/14773 Polycondensates comprising silicon atoms in the main chain

Abstract

Provided is an electrophotographic photosensitive member, including a charge-transporting layer containing a charge-transporting substance, and containing, as resins, a polycarbonate resin A having specific structural units and a resin D having a specific structural unit, in which the charge-transporting layer has, in a matrix containing the charge-transporting substance and the resin D, domains each containing the polycarbonate resin A.

Claims

1. An electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising:

a support;

a charge-generating layer on the support; and

a charge-transporting layer on the charge-generating layer,

wherein;

the charge-transporting layer is a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member;

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

a domain which comprises a polycarbonate resin A comprising;

a structural unit represented by one of the following formulae (A-1) and (A-2);

a structural unit represented by the following formula (B); and

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

a matrix which comprises a charge-transporting substance and a resin D having a structural unit represented by the following formula (D);

a content of the structural unit represented by one of the formulae (A-1) and (A-2) is from 5% by mass to 25% by mass based on a total mass of the polycarbonate resin A;

a content of the structural unit represented by the formula (B) is from 35% by mass to 65% by mass based on the total mass of the polycarbonate resin A;

a content of the structural unit represented by the formula (C) is from 10% by mass to 60% by mass based on the total mass of the polycarbonate resin A,

2. An electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein a content of the polycarbonate resin A in the charge-transporting layer is from 5% by mass to 50% by mass based on a total mass of whole resins in the charge-transporting layer.

3. An electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the polycarbonate resin A in the charge-transporting layer further comprises a structural unit represented by the following formula (E):

4. An electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 3, wherein a content of the structural unit represented by the formula (E) is 30% by mass or less based on the total mass of the polycarbonate resin A in the charge-transporting layer.

5. An electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein:

the polycarbonate resin A in the charge-transporting layer further comprises a structural unit represented by the following formula (F); and

a content of the structural unit represented by the formula (F) is 25% by mass or less based on the total mass of the polycarbonate resin A;

6. An electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the polycarbonate resin A in the charge-transporting layer has a siloxane structure represented by the following formula (A-E) at an end thereof:

7. An electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the domain has a number average particle diameter of from 10 nm to 1,000 nm.

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

9. A process cartridge, comprising:

the electrophotographic photosensitive member of claim 1; and

at least one unit selected from the group consisting of a charging unit, a developing unit, a transfer unit, and a cleaning unit,

the member and the unit being supported integrally,

wherein the process cartridge is removably mounted onto an electrophotographic apparatus body.

10. An electrophotographic apparatus, comprising:

the electrophotographic photosensitive member of claim 1;

a charging unit;

an exposing unit;

a developing unit; and

a transfer unit.

11. A method of producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising:

a support;

a charge-generating layer on the support; and

a charge-transporting layer on the charge-generating layer,

the charge-transporting layer being a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member,

the method comprising;

preparing an application liquid for a charge-transporting layer, the application liquid containing;

a polycarbonate resin A comprising;

a structural unit represented by one of the following formulae (A-1) and (A-2);

a structural unit represented by the following formula (B); and

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

a resin D comprising a structural unit represented by the following formula (D); and

a charge-transporting substance; and

forming a coating film of the application liquid for a charge-transporting layer, followed by drying the coating film, to thereby form the charge-transporting layer,

a content of the structural unit represented by one of the formulae (A-1) and (A-2) in the polycarbonate resin A being from 5% by mass to 25% by mass based on a total mass of the polycarbonate resin A,

a content of the structural unit represented by the formula (B) in the polycarbonate resin A being from 35% by mass to 65% by mass based on the total mass of the polycarbonate resin A,

a content of the structural unit represented by the formula (C) in the polycarbonate resin A being from 10% by mass to 60% by mass based on the total mass of the polycarbonate resin A,