Electrophotographic member and method for manufacturing the same, thermal fixing apparatus, and electrophotographic image forming apparatus

1. An electrophotographic member, comprising:

a base body; and

an elastic layer on the base body, the elastic layer comprising silicone rubber and metallic silicon particles in the silicone rubber,

wherein the metallic silicon particles have a mass reduction rate of 0.05% or more, the mass reduction rate being determined by:

(i) collecting 2 g of a sample from the elastic layer;

(ii) immersing the sample into 50 ml of a normal propyl bromide liquid containing dodecylbenzene sulfuric acid at a concentration of 10 wt % and having a temperature of 40° C., and applying an ultrasonic wave of 40 kHz for 60 minutes to dissolve the silicone rubber of the sample;

(iii) extracting the metallic silicon particles, and then subjecting the metallic silicon particles extracted to vacuum filtration washing three times with 10 ml of toluene at a temperature of 25° C.; and

(iv) subjecting the metallic silicon particles resulting from the step (iii) to a thermogravimetric analysis and measuring the mass reduction rate in temperature range of from 300° C. to 500° C.

2. The electrophotographic member according to claim 1 , wherein a content of the metallic silicon particles in the elastic layer is 35% by volume to 5% by volume with respect to a total volume of the elastic layer.

3. The electrophotographic member according to claim 1 , wherein the metallic silicon particles have a volume average particle diameter of 1 μm to 20 μm.

4. The electrophotographic member according to claim 1 , having an endless belt shape or a roller shape.

5. A method for manufacturing the electrophotographic member according to claim 1 , comprising:

mixing a silicone component containing organopolysiloxane with a metallic silicon powder to obtain a mixture, and allowing the mixture to stand still for 30 days or longer to prepare a liquid silicone rubber composition;

applying the liquid silicone rubber composition onto the base body to form a layer of the composition; and

curing the layer of the composition to form the elastic layer.

6. A method for manufacturing the electrophotographic member according to claim 1 , comprising:

mixing a silicone component containing organopolysiloxane with a metallic silicon powder using a planetary mixer under conditions of a revolution speed of 5 to 15 rpm and a mixing time of 100 to 300 minutes to obtain a mixture, and allowing the mixture to stand still for 4 days or longer to prepare a liquid silicone rubber composition;

applying the liquid silicone rubber composition onto the base body to form a layer of the composition; and

curing the layer of the composition to form the elastic layer.

7. A thermal fixing apparatus comprising a heating member and a pressing member that heats a recording material having an unfixed toner image thereon at a nip portion that is formed by the heating member and the pressing member to fix the unfixed toner image on the recording material,

wherein the heating member is an electrophotographic member comprising a base body and an elastic layer on the base body,

wherein the elastic layer comprises silicone rubber and metallic silicon particles in the silicone rubber, and

wherein the metallic silicon particles have a mass reduction rate of 0.05% or more, the mass reduction rate being determined by:

(i) collecting 2 g of a sample from the elastic layer;

(ii) immersing the sample into 50 ml of a normal propyl bromide liquid containing dodecylbenzene sulfuric acid at a concentration of 10 wt % and having a temperature of 40° C., and applying an ultrasonic wave of 40 kHz for 60 minutes to dissolve lvc the silicone rubber of the sample;

(iii) extracting the metallic silicon particles, and then subjecting the metallic silicon particles extracted to vacuum filtration washing three times with 10 ml of toluene at a temperature of 25° C.; and

(iv) subjecting the metallic silicon particles resulting from the step (iii) to a thermogravimetric analysis and measuring the mass reduction rate in temperature range of from 300° C. to 500° C.

8. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising a thermal fixing apparatus,

wherein the thermal fixing apparatus is a thermal fixing apparatus comprising a heating member and a pressing member that heats a recording material having an unfixed toner image thereon at a nip portion that is formed by the heating member and the pressing member to fix the unfixed toner image on the recording material,

wherein the heating member is an electrophotographic member comprising a base body and an elastic layer on the base body,

wherein the elastic layer comprises silicone rubber and metallic silicon particles in the silicone rubber, and

wherein the metallic silicon particles have a mass reduction rate of 0.05% or more, the mass reduction rate being determined by:

(i) collecting 2 g of a sample from the elastic layer;

(ii) immersing the sample into 50 ml of a normal propyl bromide liquid containing dodecylbenzene sulfuric acid at a concentration of 10 wt % and having a temperature of 40° C., and applying an ultrasonic wave of 40 kHz for 60 minutes to dissolve the silicone rubber of the sample;

(iii) extracting the metallic silicon particles, and then subjecting the metallic silicon particles extracted to vacuum filtration washing three times with 10 ml of toluene at a temperature of 25° C.; and

(iv) subjecting the metallic silicon particles resulting from the step (iii) to a thermogravimetric analysis and measuring the mass reduction rate in temperature range of from 300° C. to 500° C.