Composite materials and fuser members having improved adhesion between a metal layer and a polyimide substrate
View Patent ↗Composite materials, and fuser members incorporating the composite materials comprise a polyimide substrate, a metal layer, and a primer layer between the polyimide substrate and the metal layer. The primer layer comprises metal particles dispersed in a polymer, and adheres the metal layer to the polyimide substrate.
1. A fuser member consisting essentially of:
a polyimide substrate;
a metal outer layer; and
a primer layer between the polyimide substrate and the metal outer layer comprising metal particles dispersed in a polymer, wherein the primer layer adheres the metal outer layer to the polyimide substrate, the polymer comprising polyamide-imide, the primer layer directly contacting both the polyimide substrate and the metal outer layer, the primer layer being a single, unitary layer, wherein the metal particles are dispersed substantially homogeneously throughout the primer layer.
2. The fuser member of claim 1 , wherein the primer layer metal particles comprise nickel.
3. The fuser member of claim 1 wherein the primer layer metal particles comprise nickel platelets dispersed within the primer layer polymer.
4. The fuser member of claim 1 wherein the primer layer comprises a thickness of about 1 to about 50 μm.
5. The fuser member of claim 1 wherein the primer layer metal comprises metal platelets.
6. The fuser member of claim 1 wherein the metal particles have an average particle size of about 2 to about 20 μm.
7. The fuser member of claim 1 wherein the primer layer comprises at least about 25% by weight of the metal particles.
8. The fuser member of claim 1 wherein the metal outer layer comprises copper.
9. The fuser member of claim 1 wherein the metal outer layer has an adhesion value of about 1 to about 5 lb f /in.
10. The fuser member of claim 1 wherein the polyimide substrate comprises conductive filler.
11. A composite material according to claim 10 wherein the conductive filler comprises boron nitride.
12. A fuser member according to claim 1 wherein the fuser member comprises a roll.
13. A fuser member according to claim 1 wherein the fuser member comprises a belt.
14. A fuser unit adapted to fuse toner onto a recording medium at a fusing nip area comprising:
a fuser member according to claim 1 ;
and a backup member adjacent the fuser member and operable to apply pressure at the fusing nip area.
15. The fuser member of claim 1 , wherein the primer layer is copolymer-free.
16. The fuser member of claim 1 , wherein the metal particles comprise at least about 50% by weight of the primer layer.
17. The fuser member of claim 1 , wherein the primer layer consists essentially of metal particles dispersed in polyamide-imide.
18. The fuser member of claim 1 , wherein the metal outer layer comprises an electroplated copper layer.
19. The fuser member of claim 1 , wherein the metal outer layer comprises a copper layer.
20. The fuser member of claim 1 , wherein only the polyimide substrate and the primer layer are non-metal compositions containing conductive particles or filler.
21. A fuser member comprising:
a polyimide substrate;
a metal outer layer; and
a primer layer between the polyimide substrate and the metal outer layer comprising metal particles dispersed in a polymer, wherein the primer layer adheres the metal outer layer to the polyimide substrate, the polymer comprising polyamide-imide, the primer layer directly contacting both the polyimide substrate and the metal outer layer, the primer layer being a single, unitary layer with a substantially uniform composition throughout.
22. The fuser member of claim 21 , wherein the metal outer layer comprises a copper layer.