Electroconductive member, process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming apparatus
Provided is an electroconductive member that can demonstrate stable performance for a long period of time with an electric resistance value being hardly changed even by electrical conduction for a long period of time. An electroconductive member has a conductive mandrel, and a conductive layer provided on the outer periphery of the conductive mandrel. The conductive layer includes an organic polymeric compound as a binder, and a conductive particle dispersed in the organic polymeric compound, and the particle includes an organic-inorganic hybrid polymer having a specific structure.
1. A process cartridge composed so as to be detachable to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the process cartridge comprising a charging member for electrophotography as a charging roller or developing roller,
wherein the charging member comprises:
a conductive mandrel; and
a conductive layer provided on an outer periphery of the conductive mandrel,
wherein the conductive layer comprises:
an organic polymeric compound as a binder; and
a conductive particle dispersed in the binder, and
wherein the conductive particle consists of an organic-inorganic hybrid polymer, and the organic-inorganic hybrid polymer has a structure represented by the following formula (1):
wherein R 1 represents an organic group having an ion exchange group; and M represents silicon, titanium, zirconium or hafnium.
2. The process cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the R 1 in the formula (1) is an organic group represented by the following formula (2):
wherein R 2 represents an organic group having a sulfonate group, a phosphate group, a carboxyl group or a quaternary ammonium group.
3. The process cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the R 1 is one of organic groups represented by the following formulas (3), (4), (5) and (6):
wherein R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 each independently represent an organic group having a sulfonate group, a phosphate group or a carboxyl group.
4. The process cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the organic-inorganic hybrid polymer is synthesized by preparing a hydrolyzed condensate of a hydrolytic compound containing at least one selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following formulas (7), (8), (9) and (10):
(OR) 3 Si—R 7 —Si(OR) 3 (7)
(OR) 3 Ti—R 7 —Ti(OR) 3 (8)
(OR) 3 Zr—R 7 —Zr(OR) 3 (9)
(OR) 3 Hf—R 7 —Hf(OR) 3 (10)
wherein R 7 represents an organic group that can be converted into the R 1 by introducing the ion exchange group into R 7 , and R each independently represents a hydroxyl group or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
5. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising a charging member for electrophotography as a charging roller or developing roller,
wherein the charging member comprises:
a conductive mandrel; and
a conductive layer provided on an outer periphery of the conductive mandrel,
wherein the conductive layer comprises:
an organic polymeric compound as a binder; and
a conductive particle dispersed in the binder, and
wherein the conductive particle consists of an organic-inorganic hybrid polymer, and the organic-inorganic hybrid polymer has a structure represented by the following formula (1):
wherein R 1 represents an organic group having an ion exchange group; and M represents silicon, titanium, zirconium or hafnium.
6. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the R 1 in the formula (1) is an organic group represented by the following formula (2):
wherein R 2 represents an organic group having a sulfonate group, a phosphate group, a carboxyl group or a quaternary ammonium group.
7. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the R 1 is one of organic groups represented by the following formulas (3), (4), (5) and (6):
wherein R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 each independently represent an organic group having a sulfonate group, a phosphate group or a carboxyl group.
8. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the organic-inorganic hybrid polymer is synthesized by
preparing a hydrolyzed condensate of a hydrolytic compound containing at least one selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following formulas (7), (8), (9) and (10):
(OR) 3 Si—R 7 —Si(OR) 3 (7)
(OR) 3 Ti—R 7 —Ti(OR) 3 (8)
(OR) 3 Zr—R 7 —Zr(OR) 3 (9)
(OR) 3 Hf—R 7 —Hf(OR) 3 (10)
wherein R 7 represents an organic group that can be converted into the R 1 by introducing the ion exchange group into R 7 , and R each independently represents a hydroxyl group or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms.