Elastomer porous material and method of producing the same
View Patent ↗In the elastomer porous material of the invention, when cells in a first observation region of a first cross section are observed at a certain magnification, cells having an aspect ratio a/b, wherein a represents the maximum diameter of each cell and b represents the length of the minor axis of that cell as measured in a direction orthogonal thereto, of 1.3 or less account for 70% or more of all cells in the first observation region, and, when cells in a second observation region of a second cross section orthogonal to the first cross section are observed at a certain magnification, cells having an aspect ratio a/b, wherein a represents the maximum diameter of each cell and b represents the length of the minor axis of that cell as measured in a direction orthogonal thereto, of 1.3 or less account for 70% or more of all cells in the second observation region.
1. An elastomer porous material, wherein:
when cells in a first observation region of a first cross section are observed at a certain magnification, cells having an aspect ratio a/b of 1.3 or less account for 70% or more of all cells in the first observation region, wherein a represents a maximum diameter of each cell and b represents a length of a minor axis of that cell as measured in a direction orthogonal thereto, and
when cells in a second observation region of a second cross section orthogonal to the first cross section are observed at said certain magnification, cells having an aspect ratio a/b of 1.3 or less account for 70% or more of all cells in the second observation region, wherein a represents a maximum diameter of each cell and b represents a length of a minor axis of that cell as measured in a direction orthogonal thereto.
2. The elastomer porous material according to claim 1 , which is produced from an emulsion composition comprising, as a continuous phase, a liquid rubber material which forms an elastomer through curing.
3. The elastomer porous material according to claim 2 , wherein the liquid rubber material is a liquid silicone rubber material.
4. The elastomer porous material according to claim 1 , wherein, in the first or second observation region, cells having a diameter of 50 μm or less account for 50% or more of all cells.
5. The elastomer porous material according to claim 1 , wherein, in each of the first and second observation regions, cells having a shape factor SF 1 of 150 or less account for 80% or more of all cells, wherein SF 1 indicates roundness of a circle and is represented by formula F1:
SF
1
=
π
a
2
4
A
×
100
,
wherein a represents a length of a major axis of each cell, and A represents an area thereof.
6. The elastomer porous material according to claim 1 , wherein, in the first observation region, cells having a shape factor SF 2 of 130 or less account for 80% or more of all cells, wherein SF 2 indicates remoteness from complete roundness and is represented by formula F2:
SF
2
=
P
2
4
π
A
×
100
,
wherein A represents an area of each cell, and P represents a perimeter length thereof.
7. The elastomer porous material according to claim 1 , wherein, in the second observation region, cells having a shape factor SF 2 of 130 or less account for 80% or more of all cells, wherein SF 2 indicates remoteness from complete roundness and is represented by formula F3:
SF
2
=
P
2
4
π
A
×
100
,
wherein A represents an area of each cell, and P represents a perimeter length thereof.
8. The elastomer porous material according to claim 1 , which exhibits a porosity of 30% or more and has 200 or more cells per mm 2 as observed in a cross section.
9. A roll member comprising the elastomer porous material as recited in claim 1 .
10. A fixing member comprising the elastomer porous material as recited in claim 1 .
11. A method for producing an elastomer porous material, comprising:
preparing, under reduced pressure, an emulsion composition comprising, as a continuous phase, a liquid rubber material which forms an elastomer through curing; and
curing the emulsion composition while removing a dispersion phase, to thereby produce the elastomer porous material.
12. The method for producing an elastomer porous material according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid rubber material is a liquid silicone rubber material.
13. The method for producing an elastomer porous material according to claim 1 , wherein the emulsion composition is a water-in-oil emulsion composition comprising a liquid silicone rubber material, a silicone oil material having interfacial activity, and water.
14. The method for producing an elastomer porous material according to claim 11 , wherein:
when cells in a first observation region of a first cross section are observed at a certain magnification, cells having an aspect ratio a/b of 1.3 or less account for 70% or more of all cells in the first observation region, wherein a represents a maximum diameter of each cell and b represents a length of a minor axis of that cell as measured in a direction orthogonal thereto, and
when cells in a second observation region of a second cross section orthogonal to the first cross section are observed at said certain magnification, cells having an aspect ratio a/b of 1.3 or less account for 70% or more of all cells in the second observation region, wherein a represents a maximum diameter of each cell and b represents a length of a minor axis of that cell as measured in a direction orthogonal thereto.
15. The method for producing an elastomer porous material according to claim 11 , wherein, in the first or second observation region, cells having a diameter of 50 μm or less account for 50% or more of all cells.
16. The method for producing an elastomer porous material according to claim 11 , wherein, in each of the first and second observation regions, cells having a shape factor SF 1 of 150 or less account for 80% or more of all cells, wherein SF 1 indicates roundness of a circle and is represented by following formula F4:
SF
1
=
π
a
2
4
A
×
100
,
wherein a represents a length of a major axis of each cell, and A represents an area thereof.
17. The method for producing an elastomer porous material according to claim 11 , wherein, in the first observation region, cells having a shape factor SF 2 of 130 or less account for 80% or more of all cells, wherein SF 2 indicates remoteness from complete roundness and is represented by formula F5:
SF
2
=
P
2
4
π
A
×
100
,
wherein A represents an area of each cell, and P represents a perimeter length thereof.
18. The method for producing an elastomer porous material according to claim 11 , wherein, in the second observation region, cells having a shape factor SF 2 of 130 or less account for 80% or more of all cells, wherein SF 2 indicates remoteness from complete roundness and is represented by formula F6:
SF
2
=
P
2
4
π
A
×
100
,
wherein A represents an area each cell, and P represents a perimeter length thereof.