CA1174889A - Imaging member including an intermediate layer of an acetal of poly(vinyl alcohol) and a photoconductive layer - Google Patents

Imaging member including an intermediate layer of an acetal of poly(vinyl alcohol) and a photoconductive layer

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Publication number
CA1174889A
CA1174889A CA000384327A CA384327A CA1174889A CA 1174889 A CA1174889 A CA 1174889A CA 000384327 A CA000384327 A CA 000384327A CA 384327 A CA384327 A CA 384327A CA 1174889 A CA1174889 A CA 1174889A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
layer
acetal
poly
vinyl
molecular weight
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000384327A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Leon A. Teuscher
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Xerox Corp
Original Assignee
Xerox Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Xerox Corp filed Critical Xerox Corp
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1174889A publication Critical patent/CA1174889A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G03PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03GELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G5/00Recording members for original recording by exposure, e.g. to light, to heat, to electrons; Manufacture thereof; Selection of materials therefor
    • G03G5/14Inert intermediate or cover layers for charge-receiving layers
    • G03G5/142Inert intermediate layers

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure In an imaging member comprising a conductive substrate having thereon a photoresponsive layer, where said photoresponsive layer can be a single or a composite photoresponsive layer, the improvement consisting of positioning between said conductive substrate and the photoresponsive layer, a layer of an acetal of poly(vinyl alcohol).

Description

~17~ 39 IMAGING MEMBER
Back~round of the Invention This invention relates in general to xerography and more specifically to a novel photosensitive device.
s In the art of more or less conventional xerography, a xero-graphic plate containing a photoconductive insulating layer is imaged by first uniformly electrostatically charging its surface. The plate is then exposed to a pattern of activating electromagnetic radiation, such as light, which selectively dissipates charge in the illuminated areas of the photoconductive insulator resulting in a latent electrostatic image corres-ponding to the pattern of light-struck and nonlight-struck areas. The latent electrostatic image may then be developed to form a visible image by depositing finely divided electroscopic marking particles on the surface of the photoconductive insulating layer.
In recent years, interest has been shown in flexible electro photographic plates for use in high speed office copying machines. Some of these plates are multilayered devices comprising, a conductive substrate, an adhesive blocking interface layer and a photoresponsive layer thereon.
The photoresponsive region of the plate may be a single photoconductive material, e.g. selenium or this region may be composed of separate layers of a charge generation layer and a charge transport layer. The charge generation layer can be any photoresponsive material. This material can be conveniently dispersed in a polymeric matrix material. The charge transport layer may comprise an organic charge transport molecule dissolved or dispersed in a polymeric matrix material. During the imaging process, photons of light generate charge in imagewise fashion in the charge generation layer. These charges are injected into and transported across the charge transport layer to discharge in imagewise fashion the uniformly charged surface of the transport laye-r. The s~harge transport layer is substantially nonabsorbing in the spectral region of intended use, i.e. visible light, but is "active" in that it allows (1) injection of photogenerated charge from the charge generation layer and (2) efficient transport of these charges to the surface of the transport layer to discharge the surface charge thereon.
It is essential that intimate adhering contact be maintained between the conductive substrate and the charge generation layer. If 1~7~389 partial delamination occurs, then effective charge injection will not occur.
Difficulty has been experienced with different-variant forms of this kind of layered photoreceptor in main-S taining integrity between the conductive layer and thecharge generation layer or the charge transport layer. The art is constantly searching for means to effectively bond the charge generation layer or the transport layer to the conductive substrate.
Another problem experienced with attempts to employ proprietary adhesives, e.g. DuPont's 49000 polyester adhe-sive, is that components of the layers to be bonded migrate into and through the adhesive layer and even into the next adjacent layers. This causes charge trapping which ulti-mately results in an intolerable increase in residual poten-tial. By solving these problems, greater assurance of high quality copy can be obtained.
Various aspects of the invention are as follows:
In an imaging member for electrophotography compri-sing a conductive substrate having thereon a photoconductivelayer selected from the group consisting of selenium and selenium alloys, the improvement consisting of positioning between said conductive substrate and the photocollductive layer, a layer consisting essentially of an acetal of poly ~Ivinyl alcohol).
In an imaging member for electrophotography com-prising a conductive substrate having thereon a composite photoconductive layer comprising of a charge generation layer and a contiguous charge transport layer, the improve-ment consisting of positioning between said conductive sub-strate and the composite layer, a layer consisting essen-tially of an acetal of poly (vinyl alcohol).
In a more specific embodiment, the imaging member is a flexible member having a conductive substrate, an ad-hesive interface layer of an acetal of polyvinyl alcohol, 1J 7~389 -2a-a charge generation layer and, contiguous therewith, a charge transport layer. Among the outstanding advantages of this interfacial composition is that it exhibits out-standing tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, adhesive properties and electrical characteristics which far exceed the properties of prior art interfacial layers.
The advantages of the instant invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following dis-closure of the invention, especially when taken in conjunc-tion with the accompanying drawing wherein: the Figurerepresents one embodiment of a xerographic member as con-templated for use in the instant invention.
In the drawing, reference character 10 illustrates by a cross-sectional view an improved photoreceptor device of the instant invention. Reference character 11 designates a support member which can be an insulating material, for example, polyethylene terephthalate, which is overcoated with a conductive material 12, such as aluminum. This combination of 11 and 12 is obviously merely for purposes of illustration.

!~`.
'i' ~' Aluminized polyethylene terephthalate is an effective material which is used in place of a fully metallic substrate. Layer 11 can be any one of a number of insulating or dielectric support materials and 12 can be any number of conductive materials. The substrate can be polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, ceramic, etc. The advantage of using a material such as polyethylene terephthalate is that it is flexible and extremely strong.
Thus, the support may comprise other materials such as metallized paper, plastic sheets covered with a thin coating of aluminum or copper iodide or glass coated with a thin conductive layer of chromium or tin oxide. It is preferred to use a dielectric belt coated with aluminum with its inherent coating of aluminum oxide. The conductive layer 12 is overcoated with the interfacial layer 13 which comprises an acetal of polyvinyl alcohol.
Typical acetals of polyvinyl alcohol include the following:
poly(vinyl formal), poly(vinyl acetal) and poly(vinyl butyral). The preferred acetal is poly(vinyl butyral). The molecular weight range of the poly(vinyl butyral) is preferably from about 30,000-270,000. The molecular weight range of the poly(vinyl formal) and poly(vinyl acetal) is preferably from about 10,000 to 40,000. The interface layer can be deposited in a thickness range of about 100 Angstroms to 5000 Angstroms. It is preferred that this thickness be about 500 Angstroms. This material is conveniently coated from alcohol solutions such as isopropanol or mixtures of ethanol and isopropanol, etc.
Coated on top of interfacial layer 13 is the photoresponsive material of choice. In the ~igure shown herein, the photoreceptor is a combination of layer 14 and layer 15. In this type of photoreceptor, the arrangement provides for a layer 14 which is known as a charge generation layer and layer 15 which is known as a charge transport layer. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention is not limited to this type of photoreceptor since it can be a single layer of photoreceptor such as selenium or a selenium alloy. As illustrated, layer 14 can comprise a particulate charge generation material such as amorphous or trigonal selenium or phthalocyanine dispersed in a binder material such as poly-N-vinyl carbazole. And layer 15 cfln be formed of an organic charge transfer compound dissolved in an organic matrix material. A photoreceptor of this ~7~889 type will be found described in U.S. Patent 4,115,116, issued September 19, 1978.
The interfacial layer may be made by any convenient technique.
For example, the selected acetal may be dissolved in a solvent and the 5 solution coated onto the supporting substrate. The solvent is then allowed to evaporate leaving a dried coating on the supporting substrate. Residuals of the solvent are then driven off by drying at an efficient temperature.
Typical coating techniques which are suitable for forming the interfacial layer include spray coating, draw coating, dip coating or flow coating.
A preferred application of the instant invention includes the use A f the instant interface with an aluminized Mylar substrate. The thickness of the Mylar is about 3 mil and the thickness of the aluminum overcoat is 200 Angstroms. A coating of about 500 Angstroms of polyvinyl butyral B-72A, obtainable from Monsanto Company, is applied to the surface from a 0.5% solution in isopropanol. This layer was applied using a draw bar technique and residual isopropanol was removed by heating the system at a temperature between 90 C and 110 C for 5 minutes. On top of this layer of pol~(vinyl butyral) is deposited a 1 micron layer of vitreous selenium by a conventional vacuum deposition technique. A charge transport layer is deposited over the vitreous selenium layer by applying a solution of N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'-bis(3-methylphenyl)-[1,1'-biphenyl~-4,4'-diamine in a bis-phenol-~ polycarbonate (Lexan~ 145) obtained from General Electric Company and having a molecular weight of from about 25,000 to about 40,000 using methylene chloride as a solvent. This layer is applied to the vitreous selenium layer using a Bird film applicator. The coating is then vacuum dried at 40C for about 18 hours to form a 22 micron thick dry layer of charge transport material. The above member is then heated to about 125 C for about 16 hours which is sufficient to convert the vitreous selenium to the crystalline trigonal form.
This device was examined and subjected to conventional Carlson xerography imaging cycles totaling about 20,000 cycles. The residual remained at 40 volts and showed no signs of cycle up which would have indicated a pro~ressive increase in the residual voltage on discharge of the photoreceptor. The overall mechanical integrity of the structure was excellent revealing no evidence of delamination between the conductive layer and the polyvinyl butyral or between the generator layer and the ~,~A Je ~lA ~ `

1174~9 polyvinyl butyral.
The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to a preferred embodiment, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of 5 the invention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (11)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. In an imaging member for electrophotography compri-sing a conductive substrate having thereon a photoconductive layer selected from the group consisting of selenium and selenium alloys, the improvement consisting of positioning between said conductive substrate and the photoconductive layer, a layer consisting essentially of an acetal of poly (vinyl alcohol).
2. The member of claim 1 wherein said acetal is poly (vinyl butyral) having a molecular weight range from about 30,000 to about 270,000.
3. The member of claim 1 wherein said acetal is poly (vinyl formal) having a molecular weight range from about 10,000 to about 40,000.
4. In an imaging member for electrophotography com-prising a conductive substrate having thereon a composite photoconductive layer comprising of a charge generation layer and a contiguous charge transport layer, the improve-ment consisting of positioning between said conductive sub-strate and the composite layer, a layer consisting essen-tially of an acetal of poly (vinyl alcohol).
5. The member of claim 4 wherein said acetal is between said substrate and said charge generating layer.
6. The member of claim 4 wherein said acetal is between said substrate and said charge transport layer.
7. The member of claim 5 wherein said acetal is poly (vinyl butyral) having a molecular weight range from about 30,000 to about 270,000.
8. The member of claim 5 wherein said acetal is poly (vinyl formal) having a molecular weight range from about 10,000 to about 40,000.
9. The member of claim 6 wherein said acetal is poly (vinyl butyral) having a molecular weight range from about 30,000 to about 270,000.
10. The member of claim 6 wherein said acetal is poly (vinyl formal) having a molecular weight range from about 10,000 to about 40,000.
11. In an imaging member for electrophotography com-prising a conductive substrate having thereon a photo-conductive layer selected from the group consisting of selenium, selenium alloys and a composite comprising a charge generation layer and a contiguous charge transport layer, the improvement wherein there is positioned between the conductive substrate and the photoconductive layer a layer consisting essentially of an acetal of poly (vinyl alcohol).
CA000384327A 1980-10-02 1981-08-20 Imaging member including an intermediate layer of an acetal of poly(vinyl alcohol) and a photoconductive layer Expired CA1174889A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US19324980A 1980-10-02 1980-10-02
US193,249 1980-10-02

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1174889A true CA1174889A (en) 1984-09-25

Family

ID=22712830

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000384327A Expired CA1174889A (en) 1980-10-02 1981-08-20 Imaging member including an intermediate layer of an acetal of poly(vinyl alcohol) and a photoconductive layer

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0049623A3 (en)
JP (1) JPS5790639A (en)
CA (1) CA1174889A (en)

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4489148A (en) * 1983-04-25 1984-12-18 Xerox Corporation Overcoated photoresponsive device
US5130216A (en) * 1988-09-22 1992-07-14 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Photosensitive member for electrophotography
JP2567086B2 (en) * 1989-03-15 1996-12-25 キヤノン株式会社 Electrophotographic photoreceptor
JP2567090B2 (en) * 1989-04-20 1996-12-25 キヤノン株式会社 Electrophotographic photoreceptor
US5419993A (en) * 1991-11-01 1995-05-30 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Polyamide, electrophotographic photosensitive member employing the polyamide, and electrophotographic apparatus, device unit and facsimile machine employing the member
JP5430353B2 (en) 2009-11-02 2014-02-26 キヤノン株式会社 Electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge, and electrophotographic apparatus

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2860048A (en) * 1955-06-13 1958-11-11 Haloid Xerox Inc Xerographic plate
US3428451A (en) * 1960-09-19 1969-02-18 Eastman Kodak Co Supports for radiation-sensitive elements and improved elements comprising such supports
AU453265B2 (en) * 1971-02-25 1974-09-11 Xerox Corporation Xerographic electron transport structure
BE788303A (en) * 1971-09-02 1973-03-01 Xerox Corp PROCESS FOR RECORDING AN ELECTRO-STATIC IMAGE IN A MULTI-LAYER PHOTORECEPTOR
JPS5028838A (en) * 1973-07-17 1975-03-24
US4282294A (en) * 1980-10-06 1981-08-04 Honeywell Inc. Polyvinyl blocking layer for preventing charge injection in a thermoplastic photoconductive device for holography

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0049623A3 (en) 1982-07-21
EP0049623A2 (en) 1982-04-14
JPS5790639A (en) 1982-06-05

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