ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PHOTOSENSITIVE MEMBER, METHOD OF PRODUCING THE ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PHOTOSENSITIVE MEMBER, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS

• US 20160238957A1
• Filed: 03/12/2015
• Published: 08/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2014
• 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 9,651,879 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 5/056 Polyesters
• 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 5/0592 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 5/078 comprising silicon atoms

Abstract

A charge-transporting layer as the surface layer of an electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a charge-transporting substance, and contains, as resins, a resin A having specific structural units and a polycarbonate resin D having specific structural units. The charge-transporting layer has, in a matrix containing the charge-transporting substance and the polycarbonate resin D, domains each containing the 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 includes a resin A comprising;

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

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

a matrix which includes a charge-transporting substance and a polycarbonate resin D comprising;

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

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

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

a content of the structural unit represented by the formula (B) in the resin A is from 25% by mass to 95% by mass based on the total mass of the resin A;

a content of the structural unit represented by the formula (D) in the polycarbonate resin D is from 10% by mass to 60% by mass based on a total mass of the polycarbonate resin D; and

a content of the structural unit represented by the formula (E) in the polycarbonate resin D is from 40% by mass to 90% by mass based on the total mass of the polycarbonate resin D;

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

the resin A further comprises a structural unit represented by the following formula (C);

the 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 the total mass of the resin A;

the 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 resin A; and

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 resin A;

3. An electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 2, wherein:

the resin A further comprises a structural unit represented by the following formula (F);

the 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 the total mass of the resin A;

the 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 resin A;

the 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 resin A; and

a content of the structural unit represented by the formula (F) is 30% by mass or less based on the total mass of the resin A;

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

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

6. 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.

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

8. 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.

9. An electrophotographic apparatus, comprising:

the electrophotographic photosensitive member of claim 1;

a charging unit;

an exposing unit;

a developing unit; and

a transfer unit.

10. 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 resin A comprising;

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

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

a polycarbonate resin D comprising;

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

a structural unit represented by the following formula (E); 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 resin A being from 5% by mass to 25% by mass based on a total mass of the resin A,

a content of the structural unit represented by the formula (B) in the resin A being from 25% by mass to 95% by mass based on the total mass of the resin A,

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

a content of the structural unit represented by the formula (E) in the polycarbonate resin D being from 40% by mass to 90% by mass based on the total mass of the polycarbonate resin D,