Overcoat formulation for long-life electrophotographic photoconductors and method for making the same

US9448497B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Lexmark International, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Mark Thomas Bellino · Loveland, US
• Gerald Hugh Ciecior · Westminster, US
• Douglas J. Harris · Stamford, US
• Weimei Luo · Louisville, US
• Brian David Munson · Mead, US
• Dat Quoc Nguyen · Platteville, US
• Scott Daniel Reeves · Louisville, US
• Tanya Yvonne Thames · Aurora, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 31, 2013
• Grant date: Sep 20, 2016
• Expiry date: Jan 5, 2034

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G03G5/14795
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An overcoat layer and method to make an overcoated photoconductor drum of an electrophotographic image forming device using irradiation such as with electron beam (EB) or ultraviolet (UV) light is provided. The photoconductor drum is then cured using EB dose of between 10 and 100 kiloGrays (kGy), preferably between 20 and 40 kGys or UV irradiation with an exposure of between 0.1 and 2 J/cm2. The unique overcoat layer of the present invention is formed having a biphasic morphology comprised of a highly cured crosslinked phase and a second phase enriched in uncured material. The desired amount of uncured uncrosslinked material found in the second phase of the biphasic structure, is between 2-70 wt % range, with particularly good combination of long-life and electrical performance when present at the 5-50 wt % level, and the best performance at the 15-40 wt % level. The biphasic morphology of the overcoat layer using the method of the present invention gives rise to the good wear rates while allowing rapid transport of the electrical charge and thus fast discharge properties of the photoconductor drum.