Electrophotographic fixing member, fixing device, and electrophotographic image forming apparatus
Provided is an electrophotographic fixing member including an elastic layer having a low hardness while maintaining a high thermal conductivity and a high strength, the elastic layer being less liable to fracture even when repeatedly compressed in a high-temperature state. The fixing member for electrophotography includes a substrate, an elastic layer on the substrate, and a surface layer in the stated order, wherein the elastic layer contains a silicone rubber and a heat conductive filler dispersed in the silicone rubber, wherein the heat conductive filler is metal oxide particles, or metal particles each having a surface at least part of which is formed of a metal oxide, and wherein the elastic layer further contains a charge control agent negatively chargeable with respect to the heat conductive filler.
1. An electrophotographic fixing member comprising:
a substrate;
an elastic layer on the substrate; and
a surface layer, in this order,
wherein the elastic layer contains a silicone rubber and a heat conductive filler dispersed in the silicone rubber,
wherein the heat conductive filler is selected from the group consisting of metal oxide particles and metal particles each having a surface at least part of which is formed of a metal oxide, and
wherein the elastic layer further contains a charge control agent negatively chargeable with respect to the heat conductive filler.
2. The electrophotographic fixing member for electrophotography according to claim 1 , wherein the heat conductive filler is at least one selected from the group consisting of: magnesium oxide; metal silicon; alumina; and zinc oxide.
3. The electrophotographic fixing member for electrophotography according to claim 1 , wherein the charge control agent has a thermal decomposition onset temperature of 300° C. or more.
4. The electrophotographic fixing member for electrophotography according to claim 1 , wherein the charge control agent is an azo metal complex.
5. The electrophotographic fixing member for electrophotography according to claim 4 , wherein the azo metal complex is a compound represented by one of structural formulae (i) and (ii):
6. The electrophotographic fixing member for electrophotography according to claim 1 , wherein a blending amount of the charge control agent is 1 to 5 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the silicone rubber.
7. The electrophotographic fixing member for electrophotography according to claim 1 , wherein the charge control agent is dispersed in the silicone rubber as particles each having a diameter of 1 μm or less.
8. A fixing device comprising:
a heating member; and
a pressurizing member arranged to face the heating member,
wherein at least one of the heating member and the pressurizing member is an electrophotographic fixing member including a substrate, an elastic layer on the substrate, and a surface layer in the stated order,
wherein the elastic layer contains a silicone rubber and a heat conductive filler dispersed in the silicone rubber,
wherein the heat conductive filler is selected from the group consisting of metal oxide particles and metal particles each having a surface at least part of which is formed of a metal oxide, and
wherein the elastic layer further contains a charge control agent negatively chargeable with respect to the heat conductive filler.
9. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising a fixing device,
the fixing device including:
a heating member; and
a pressurizing member arranged to face the heating member,
wherein at least one of the heating member and the pressurizing member is an electrophotographic fixing member including a substrate, an elastic layer on the substrate, and a surface layer in the stated order,
wherein the elastic layer contains a silicone rubber and a heat conductive filler dispersed in the silicone rubber,
wherein the heat conductive filler is selected from the group consisting of metal oxide particles and metal particles each having a surface at least part of which is formed of a metal oxide, and
wherein the elastic layer further contains a charge control agent negatively chargeable with respect to the heat conductive filler.