Electrical discharge surface treatment
A transfer surface of an intermediate transfer member in a printing apparatus is treated using an electrical discharge surface treatment. The treatment of the intermediate transfer member is to reduce negative dot gain from a previous image in subsequent printing or increase wettability of a silicone-based release layer.
1. A method comprising:
for an intermediate transfer roller that is incorporated in a printing apparatus, treating a transfer surface of the intermediate transfer roller using an electrical discharge surface treatment to reduce negative dot gain from a previous image in subsequent printing.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein using the electrical discharge surface treatment includes performing a corona discharge treatment on the transfer surface.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical discharge surface treatment is selected from a group consisting of: plasma treatment and ozone treatment.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the treating has a duration of less than or equal to 1 minute.
5. The method according to claim 1 , comprising performing multiple electrical discharge surface treatments on the transfer surface.
6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the multiple electrical discharge surface treatments are performed at intervals based on printing task status.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer roller has a silicone-based release layer.
8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the silicone-based release layer comprises polydimethylsiloxane.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the electrical discharge surface treatment increases Si—O—Si groups in the silicone-based release layer.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the electrical discharge surface treatment increases Si—C—C—OH and Si—COOH groups in the silicone-based release layer.
11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the printing apparatus is a liquid electrophotographic printing apparatus.
12. A method comprising:
removing an intermediate transfer member from a liquid electrophotographic printing apparatus;
treating the intermediate transfer member with an electrical discharge surface treatment; and
subsequently loading the intermediate transfer member into the liquid electrophotographic printing apparatus.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrical discharge surface treatment is a corona treatment.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the corona treatment is applied with a portable corona treatment device.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrical discharge surface treatment increases Si—O—Si groups on a surface of the intermediate transfer member.
16. A method comprising,
for an intermediate transfer member that is incorporated in a printing apparatus, treating a transfer surface of the intermediate transfer member using an electrical discharge surface treatment to increase wettability of a silicone-based release layer comprising polydimethylsiloxane,
wherein the electrical discharge surface treatment increases an amount of Si—COOH groups or an amount of Si—C—C—OH groups in the silicone-based release layer.
17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the intermediate transfer member comprises a transfer blanket and wherein the transfer surface is a surface of the transfer blanket.