Fixing member, method for producing the same, fixing apparatus, and electrophotographic image forming apparatus
A fixing member having a base layer and a surface layer, wherein the surface layer includes a tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer, and having at least one pore communicating with an opening on an outer surface thereof. A composition containing perfluoropolyether and a fluoropolymer is contained in at least a part of the at least one pore. The fluoropolymer has a particular repeating unit composed of perfluoropolyether, and at least one structure selected from the group consisting of a T unit of siloxane and a Q unit of siloxane.
1. A method for producing a fixing member comprising a base layer and a surface layer, comprising the following step (I) to step (V):
(I): providing a layered product having a base layer and a resin layer containing a tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer (PFA),
(II): bringing a first perfluoropolyether that has been heated to a temperature in the vicinity of a melting point of the PFA into contact with a first surface constituting an outer surface of the resin layer to impregnate the resin layer with the first perfluoropolyether,
(III): cooling to room temperature the layered product obtained in the step (II) in which the resin layer is impregnated with the first perfluoropolyether,
(IV): removing, from the first surface side of the resin layer, at least a part of the first perfluoropolyether impregnated in the resin layer using a fluorine-based solvent to thereby form at least one pore opened on the first surface of the resin layer, in the resin layer, and
(V): allowing at least a part of the at least one pore to contain a mixture containing a second perfluoropolyether and a mixture for forming a fluoropolymer, and curing the mixture for forming the fluoropolymer, wherein
the surface layer contains a tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer, and having a pore communicating with an opening on an outer surface thereof, a composition containing perfluoropolyether and a fluoropolymer is contained in at least a part of the pore,
wherein the fluoropolymer has a repeating unit represented by the following structural formula (1), and at least one structure selected from the group consisting of a T unit of siloxane and a Q unit of siloxane:
wherein n represents a positive integer.