JP2008250101A - Conductive roll - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a conductive roll having a conductive elastic layer made sufficiently low in hardness, while being superior in permanent set. <P>SOLUTION: The conductive roll has at least a conductive elastic layer, formed in contact with the outer surface of the shaft; the conductive elastic layer is formed by finely distributing a non-polarized rubber material in an island phase within the continuous phase, consisting of a polarized rubber material containing an ion conductive agent; and the roll is made of a rubber composition forming an island structure that does not have an electron conductive agent contained therein. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a conductive roll, and more particularly to a conductive roll that can be suitably used as a charging roll, a developing roll, a transfer roll or the like in a copying machine or a printer using an electrophotographic system.

  Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as an electrophotographic apparatus) such as a copying machine or a printer using an electrophotographic method, for example, a low-hardness rubber is provided on an outer peripheral surface of a shaft body (core metal) as a conductor. A conductive elastic layer composed of layers is provided, and if necessary, a conductive roll having a structure in which a resistance adjusting layer and a protective layer are sequentially laminated on the outer peripheral surface of the conductive elastic layer is charged. It is used as a roll, a developing roll, a transfer roll, and the like.

  Among such conductive rolls, the charging roll is used for charging an image carrier such as a photoconductor (drum). Specifically, the image carrier is brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the charging roll. By doing so, the surface of the image carrier is charged. For this reason, conventionally, the conductive elastic layer constituting the charging roll has a small compression set (low sag) so that the contact property with the image carrier can be secured, and electrical resistance. Is controlled within an appropriate range (charging uniformity) and the like.

  In recent years, electrophotographic equipment has been required to increase the image formation speed (improving printing speed), improve the image quality, and reduce the size of the equipment. Miniaturization (small diameter) is required. Here, if the speed of image formation is increased using a small charging roll, the rotational speed of the charging roll will inevitably increase. It becomes difficult to ensure a uniform nip state. For such a problem, for example, it is generally considered to form a conductive elastic body layer of a charging roll using a rubber composition in which various additives (plasticizer or the like) are blended. Lowering the hardness may lower the sagability (deterioration of compression set).

  Under such circumstances, various rubber compositions have been proposed as a rubber composition that can provide a conductive elastic layer having low hardness and excellent low sag. For example, in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-302232), a crosslinked silicone rubber having an average particle size of 20 μm or less and a toluene insoluble content of 30% by weight or more, and an uncrosslinked organic rubber other than silicone rubber A conductive rubber composition is proposed in which a conductivity-imparting agent (B) having an electron conduction mechanism and a conductivity-imparting agent (C) having an ionic conduction mechanism are mixed and dispersed in a rubber composition (A) comprising: ing. Further, in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-124473), a crosslinked rubber particle (A) having a number average particle diameter of 20 μm or less composed of a crosslinked rubber having a toluene insoluble content of 30% by weight or more, and a conductivity-imparting substance. A conductive rubber composition is proposed in which (B) is dispersed and contained in an uncrosslinked organic rubber (C) of a type different from that constituting the crosslinked rubber particles (A). ing.

  However, in the conventional conductive rubber compositions including those described above, when they are used to form a conductive elastic body layer of a conductive roll, their hardness and low sagability are to some extent. However, it is still difficult to say that the properties required for the conductive rolls are becoming more stringent. There is a demand for the development of a conductive roll having a low hardness while exhibiting a better sagability.

JP-A-9-302232 JP-A-11-124473

  Here, the present invention has been made in the background of such circumstances, and the problem to be solved is that sufficient hardness reduction is achieved while exhibiting excellent low sagability. Another object of the present invention is to provide a conductive roll having a conductive elastic layer.

  In order to solve such a problem, the present invention provides a conductive roll having at least a conductive elastic layer arranged in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the shaft body. A non-polar rubber material is finely dispersed as an island phase in a continuous phase composed of a polar rubber material blended with an agent, and is formed of a rubber composition exhibiting a sea-island structure not blended with an electronic conductive agent. The conductive roll characterized by this is the gist thereof.

  In one preferred embodiment of the conductive roll according to the present invention, the polar rubber material is an epichlorohydrin-ethylene oxide copolymer, an epichlorohydrin-ethylene oxide-allyl glycidyl ether terpolymer, an ethylene oxide-propylene. It is at least one selected from the group consisting of an oxide-allyl glycidyl ether terpolymer, an acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer and a urethane rubber.

  In another preferred embodiment of the conductive roll according to the present invention, the nonpolar rubber material is natural rubber, isoprene rubber, butadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, butyl rubber, ethylene-propylene rubber, ethylene- It is at least one selected from the group consisting of propylene-diene terpolymer rubber and silicone rubber.

  Furthermore, in another desirable aspect of the conductive roll according to the present invention, a liquid polymer is blended in the continuous phase, and in another desirable aspect, the liquid polymer is contained in the island phase. Is blended.

  As described above, in the conductive roll according to the present invention, the conductive elastic layer is made of a different kind of rubber material and does not contain an electronic conductive agent, and is a rubber composition exhibiting a sea-island structure. Since it is formed, it is possible to achieve a sufficiently low hardness while exhibiting excellent low sagability.

  Such effects are in particular 1) the use of one or more selected from the group consisting of epichlorohydrin-ethylene oxide copolymers, etc., as the polar rubber material constituting the continuous phase, and 2) the island phase. By using one or more materials selected from the group consisting of natural rubber as the nonpolar rubber material to be used, 3) by adding a liquid polymer in the continuous phase, or 4) by a liquid polymer in the island phase By blending, it is possible to enjoy more advantageously.

  By the way, when producing a conductive roll according to the present invention, a rubber composition having a so-called sea-island structure is first prepared using a predetermined material, but the preparation of such a rubber composition is advantageous. The following method is used.

  First, an island phase-forming rubber composition that provides an island phase is prepared.

  Such a rubber composition for forming an island phase has a non-polar rubber material as a rubber component, and any non-polar rubber material can be used as long as it is conventionally known. It is. Specifically, natural rubber, isoprene rubber, butadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, butyl rubber, ethylene-propylene rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer rubber, silicone rubber, etc. can be exemplified, and advantageously Are used by appropriately selecting one or two or more of these exemplified nonpolar rubber materials. In particular, by using silicone rubber, it is possible to advantageously improve the extrusion moldability and injection moldability (mold injection property) when producing a conductive roll.

  In the present invention, a liquid polymer is preferably blended with such a nonpolar rubber material. By blending such a liquid polymer, it is possible to more effectively achieve a reduction in the hardness of the conductive elastic body layer in the conductive roll. Preferably, the total amount of the nonpolar rubber material and the liquid polymer is 3 to 30 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight. The polymer is blended. Examples of the liquid polymer that can be used in the present invention include liquid acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer, liquid butadiene rubber, liquid isoprene rubber, liquid styrene-butadiene copolymer, liquid isoprene-butadiene copolymer, and liquid styrene-isoprene copolymer. Examples thereof include hydrogenated polymers, liquid ethylene / propylene / terpolymers, liquid isobutylene rubber, liquid acrylic rubber, liquid chloroprene rubber, liquid silicone rubber, liquid ether rubber, and the like.

  In addition to the liquid polymer, various additives (for example, softeners, plasticizers, etc.) that are conventionally blended into the rubber composition can be blended within a range that does not impair the object of the present invention. is there. However, when an electronic conductive agent such as conductive carbon black is blended, the object of the present invention cannot be achieved, that is, in the conductive elastic body layer of the finally obtained conductive roll, its hardness is increased. In this invention, electronic conductive agents, such as conductive carbon black, are not mix | blended in this invention, since a ductility deteriorates.

  For non-polar rubber materials described above, liquid polymers and various additives are blended as necessary, and further vulcanizing agents, vulcanization accelerators and vulcanization aids are blended as needed, A rubber composition for island phase formation is prepared by kneading using a known kneader such as a kneader or a biaxial roll. In addition, as a vulcanizing agent, a vulcanization accelerator, and a vulcanization assistant, those according to a nonpolar rubber material are appropriately selected and used from those conventionally used in the preparation of rubber compositions. .

  And the rubber composition which exhibits sea island structure is prepared using the rubber composition for island phase formation prepared in this way, polar rubber material, and an ionic conductive agent.

  That is, the island phase-forming rubber composition is mainly composed of a non-polar rubber material, and since the compatibility with the polar rubber material is poor, such an island phase-forming rubber composition is polar. When blended with a rubber material and kneaded, the rubber composition exhibits a sea-island structure in which a nonpolar rubber material is finely dispersed as an island phase.

  The amount of the island phase forming rubber composition to be blended with the polar rubber material is appropriately determined according to the characteristics of the intended conductive roll, but if the blending amount is too small. However, the island phase made of non-polar rubber material does not appear effectively, and the conductive roll may not exhibit the desired properties (low hardness and low sag), while the blending amount is When too much, there exists a possibility that the ionic conductivity of a conductive roll may fall. Therefore, in the present invention, advantageously, the amount of the nonpolar rubber material in the island phase forming rubber composition is 5 to 50 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the polar rubber material. The rubber composition for island phase formation is blended at a proper ratio.

  As the polar rubber material used in the present invention, any known polar rubber material can be used. For example, epichlorohydrin-ethylene oxide copolymer, epichlorohydrin-ethylene oxide- Examples include allylic glycidyl ether terpolymer, ethylene oxide-propylene oxide-allyl glycidyl ether terpolymer, acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer, and urethane rubber. In the present invention, one or two or more kinds of these polar rubber materials are advantageously selected and used.

  Moreover, in this invention, an ionic conductive agent is mix | blended with such a polar rubber material so that the electroconductive elastic body layer of the electroconductive roll finally obtained expresses predetermined electroconductivity. Examples of the ionic conductive agent include various conventionally known quaternary compounds such as tributylethylammonium ethyl sulfate, tetrabutylammonium chloride, tetrabutylammonium bromide, tetrabutylammonium iodide and tetrabutylammonium perchlorate. Examples include ammonium salts, perchlorates such as lithium perchlorate and potassium perchlorate, and organic boron complexes. If the blending amount of the ionic conductive agent is too small, the blending effect is not recognized.If the blending amount is too large, blooming of the conductive agent is generated. For example, when used as a charging roll, the photoreceptor may be contaminated. In the invention, it is blended at a ratio of about 0.1 to 5 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the polar rubber material. As described above, the blending of the electronic conductive agent such as conductive carbon black is not blended in the present invention because it hinders the object of the present invention.

  Furthermore, a liquid polymer is advantageously blended with the polar rubber material in the same manner as the island phase forming rubber composition. Such a liquid polymer is preferably 3 to 100 parts by weight of the total amount of the polar rubber material and the liquid polymer in order to achieve both low hardness and low sag in the conductive elastic layer of the conductive roll. It mix | blends in the quantitative ratio which will be-30 weight part. In addition, as a liquid polymer which can be mix | blended with respect to a polar rubber material, what was illustrated previously as what can be used when preparing the rubber composition for island phase formation can be used similarly.

  Furthermore, in addition to the liquid polymer, various additives (for example, softeners, plasticizers, etc.) that are conventionally blended in rubber compositions can be blended within a range that does not impair the object of the present invention. It is.

  Then, a polar rubber material is blended with a rubber composition for forming an island phase and an ionic conductive agent, and if necessary, a liquid polymer and various additives, and further, a vulcanizing agent and, if necessary, a vulcanization accelerator. A rubber composition having a sea-island structure in which a nonpolar rubber material is finely dispersed as an island phase by blending with a kneader or other known kneader and also kneading using a kneader or the like. Is prepared. In addition, as a vulcanizing agent, a vulcanization accelerator, and a vulcanization auxiliary agent, those according to the polar rubber material are appropriately selected and used from those conventionally used in the preparation of rubber compositions.

  As mentioned above, although the preparation method of the rubber composition used when producing the electroconductive roll of this invention was described, the electroconductive roll of this invention is a rubber composition other than the rubber composition prepared by such a technique. Needless to say, it can be manufactured using products. For example, without preparing the island phase forming rubber composition first, the above-mentioned nonpolar rubber material, polar rubber material, ionic conductive agent, liquid polymer, vulcanizing agent, and various additives as necessary The conductive roll of the present invention can be obtained even in the case of a rubber composition obtained by charging in a kneading machine such as a continuous phase, in short, a continuous phase comprising a polar rubber material containing an ionic conductive agent. Any rubber composition having a sea-island structure in which a non-polar rubber material is finely dispersed as an island phase can be used.

  Then, using the rubber composition exhibiting the sea-island structure prepared as described above, first, according to various conventionally known molding methods, the rubber composition is formed on the outer peripheral surface of a predetermined shaft body (core metal). An unvulcanized conductive elastic body layer is formed, and then a predetermined vulcanization operation is performed on the unvulcanized conductive elastic body layer to obtain a target conductive roll.

  As the molding method, for example, a method according to the properties of the rubber composition is appropriately selected from conventionally known molding methods such as extrusion molding and injection molding (mold injection molding). Various conditions during the vulcanization operation are also set as appropriate according to the composition of the rubber composition.

In addition, a protective layer is further formed on the surface of the conductive roll thus manufactured (the outer peripheral surface of the conductive elastic layer) as necessary. This protective layer is provided in order to prevent toner or the like from adhering or accumulating on the roll surface. For example, a resin composition material containing a fluorine-based resin such as a fluorine-modified acrylate resin, Conductive agents such as carbon black and metal oxides are blended with nylon materials such as methylated nylon so that the volume resistivity is generally about 1 × 10 ⁵ to 1 × 10 ¹³ Ω · cm. It is formed. The production of such a protective layer is performed according to a known coating technique such as dipping, and the thickness thereof is appropriately set according to the size (diameter, length) of the conductive roll. However, it is usually about 1 to 20 μm.

  Furthermore, between the conductive elastic body layer produced using the rubber composition of the present invention and the protective layer, the electrical resistance of the entire conductive roll is controlled, and the voltage resistance (leakage resistance) is improved. It is also possible to form one or more other various layers on the resistance adjustment layer intended to be enhanced and the conductive elastic layer.

  In the conductive roll thus obtained, the conductive elastic layer is effectively reduced in hardness and exhibits excellent low sagability. From a certain point, it is advantageously used as a charging roll, a developing roll, a transfer roll or the like of an electrophotographic apparatus, particularly as a charging roll.

  Some examples of the present invention will be shown below to clarify the present invention more specifically. However, the present invention is not limited by the description of such examples. Needless to say. In addition to the following examples, the present invention includes various changes and modifications based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention, in addition to the specific description described above. It should be understood that improvements and the like can be added.

First, six kinds of rubber compositions for forming an island phase (compositions A to F) were prepared at each blending ratio listed in Table 1 below. In addition, as each component, those listed below were used.
-Silicone rubber compound: GE Toshiba Silicone Co., Ltd., XE20-A2184 (trade name)
・ Butadiene rubber: Nipol BR1220 (trade name) manufactured by Zeon Corporation
・ Naphthenic oil: Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., Diana Process Oil NM280 (trade name)
・ Liquid butadiene: Kuraray Co., Ltd., Kuraprene LIR300 (trade name)
・ Peroxide crosslinking agent master batch: GE Toshiba Silicone Co., Ltd., TC-8 (trade name)
・ Crosslinking agent master batch A for addition reaction:
TC-25A (trade name) manufactured by GE Toshiba Silicones Co., Ltd.
・ Crosslinking agent master batch B for addition reaction:
TC-25B (trade name) manufactured by GE Toshiba Silicones Co., Ltd.
・ Carbon black: Denka Black (trade name) manufactured by Denki Kagaku Kogyo Co., Ltd.

  Specifically, for compositions A and E, a silicone rubber compound and a crosslinking agent master batch are kneaded with a biaxial roll, and for compositions B, C, D and F, a crosslinking agent (master batch). After kneading the components except for 5 minutes with a kneader, a cross-linking agent (masterbatch) was added to the kneaded product and kneaded with a biaxial roll.

・カーボンブラック：電気化学工業株式会社製、デンカブラック（商品名） Using the six types of rubber compositions for island phase formation thus obtained, 14 types of rubber compositions (Sample Nos. 1 to 14) were prepared at the respective compounding ratios listed in Table 2 below. In addition, as each component, those listed below were used.
-Polar rubber A: Epichlorohydrin-ethylene oxide copolymer, manufactured by Daiso Corporation, Epichromer D (trade name)
-Polar rubber B: Epichlorohydrin-ethylene oxide-allyl glycidyl ether terpolymer, manufactured by Daiso Corporation, epichromer CG-102 (trade name)
・ Polar rubber C: Ethylene oxide-propylene oxide-allyl glycidyl ether terpolymer, manufactured by Nippon Zeon Co., Ltd., Zeospan 8030 (trade name)
・ Polar rubber D: Acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer, manufactured by Nippon Zeon Co., Ltd., Nippon DN3335 (trade name)
-Polar rubber E: Urethane rubber, Bayer, Urepan 641G (trade name)
Liquid polymer: Liquid acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer, manufactured by JSR Corporation,
JSR N280 (product name)
-Ionic conductive agent: quaternary ammonium salt represented by the following structural formula

・ Carbon black: Denka Black (trade name), manufactured by Denki Kagaku Kogyo Co., Ltd.

  Specifically, Sample No. For the rubber compositions 1-9 and 12-14, each component excluding the vulcanizing agent and vulcanization accelerator (2-mercaptoimidazoline, sulfur, dicumyl peroxide, monoforin disulfide and tetramethylthiuram disulfide), After kneading for 5 minutes with a kneader, a vulcanizing agent (and a vulcanization accelerator) was added to the obtained kneaded product, and the mixture was kneaded with a biaxial roll. Sample No. For 10 and 11, each component excluding the vulcanizing agent and the vulcanization accelerator was kneaded at 120 ° C. for 30 minutes using a kneader and allowed to cool to room temperature, and then the resulting kneaded product was vulcanized. And a vulcanization accelerator were added and the mixture was kneaded with a biaxial roll.

  Using the 14 types of rubber compositions thus obtained, the following measurements and evaluations were performed.

-Measurement of hardness and compression set-
Using the obtained rubber composition, press vulcanization was performed at 160 ° C. for 30 minutes to obtain a vulcanized sample exhibiting a predetermined shape. Using the obtained vulcanized material sample, the hardness was measured according to JIS-K-6253, and the compression set was measured according to JIS-K-6262. The measurement results are also shown in Table 2 below.

-Set evaluation as a charging roll-
After preparing a cored bar made of a metal shaft with a diameter of 6 mm and applying an adhesive to the outer peripheral surface thereof, the cored bar is arranged in the center in the axial direction in a mold having a cylindrical molding cavity, and the state The obtained rubber composition was injected. Thereafter, heat vulcanization is performed under the conditions of 160 ° C. × 30 minutes, and the conductive elastic layer (thickness: 3 mm) is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the core metal by removing the mold. A sex roll was produced. Next, a protective layer forming material is applied to the surface of the conductive elastic layer by dipping, dried, and then heated at 150 ° C. for 60 minutes to form a conductive elastic layer (the target product). A charging roll having a protective layer (thickness: 6 μm) provided on the surface having a thickness of 3 mm was obtained. In addition, as a material for forming the protective layer, fluorine-modified acrylate resin (Dainippon Ink Chemical Co., Ltd., trade name: Defensa TR230K): 50 parts by weight and fluorine-modified acrylate resin (trade name, manufactured by Atofina Japan Co., Ltd.) : Kyner SL) and conductive titanium oxide (manufactured by Ishihara Techno Co., Ltd., trade name: Taipei ET-300W): 100 parts by weight are added to 200 parts by weight of methyl ether ketone, and the mixed solution is added in a sand mill. Those prepared by dispersing were used.

  The charging roll thus obtained was pressed against a photosensitive drum and left in a pressure contacted environment at 40 ° C. × 95% RH for one week, and then the charging roll was placed on a commercially available laser printer (Japan). The product was incorporated into Hewlett-Packard Co., Ltd. (trade name: Laser Jet 4240) and imaged in an environment of 15 ° C. × 10% RH, and the image quality was evaluated. In this evaluation, “◯” indicates that no image unevenness, streaks, spots, etc. are observed, and “X” indicates that image defects such as image unevenness, streaks, spots, etc. are observed. The evaluation about the charging roll obtained using each rubber composition is shown in Table 2 below.

  As is clear from the results of Table 2, in the conductive roll according to the present invention, the conductive elastic layer has low hardness and exhibits excellent low sagability. When such a conductive roll was used as a charging roll, it was confirmed that a high-quality image was obtained.

On the other hand, a conductive roll outside the scope of the present invention, specifically, a rubber composition containing no island phase made of a nonpolar rubber material (sample No. 12) and carbon black as an electronic conductive agent are blended. The conductive roll obtained using the rubber composition (Sample Nos. 13 and 14) obtained has a relatively high hardness and is not sufficiently sagable. Further, when used as a charging roll, It has been confirmed that the resulting image has a problem.

Claims (5)

In a conductive roll having at least a conductive elastic layer arranged in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the shaft body,
The conductive elastic body layer is a sea island in which a nonpolar rubber material is finely dispersed as an island phase in a continuous phase composed of a polar rubber material in which an ionic conductive agent is blended, and in which an electronic conductive agent is not blended. A conductive roll formed of a rubber composition having a structure.   The polar rubber material is an epichlorohydrin-ethylene oxide copolymer, an epichlorohydrin-ethylene oxide-allyl glycidyl ether terpolymer, an ethylene oxide-propylene oxide-allyl glycidyl ether terpolymer, an acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer, and The conductive roll according to claim 1, wherein the conductive roll is one or more selected from the group consisting of urethane rubber.   The nonpolar rubber material is one or more selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, isoprene rubber, butadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, butyl rubber, ethylene-propylene rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer rubber, and silicone rubber. The conductive roll according to claim 1 or 2, wherein   The conductive roll according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a liquid polymer is blended in the continuous phase. The conductive roll according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a liquid polymer is blended in the island phase.