Electrophotographic photoreceptor, method of preparing the photoreceptor, and image forming method, image forming apparatus and process cartridge therefor using the photoreceptor
A method of preparing an electrophotographic photoreceptor, including forming a photosensitive layer on an electroconductive substrate; and forming a surface layer on the photosensitive layer, wherein the surface layer is formed by a spray coating comprising a spray droplet having an average diameter (D 50 ) not greater than 10 μm.
1. A method of preparing an electrophotographic photoreceptor, comprising:
forming a photosensitive layer overlying an electroconductive substrate; and
forming a surface layer overlying the photosensitive layer,
wherein the surface layer has a thickness of from 5 to 10 μm and is formed by a spray coating comprising a spray droplet having an average diameter (D50) of from 2.1 to 3.6 μm from a spray gun having a nozzle traveling at a speed which is not greater than 10 mm/s
wherein the surface layer is a crosslinked surface layer
wherein the surface layer comprises:
a tri- or more functional radical polymerizable monomer having no charge transportable structure; and
a radical polymerizable compound having a charge transportable structure, and
wherein the surface layer is hardened with heat or light to form a crosslinked surface layer.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
hardening the surface layer with heat or light.
3. The method of preparing an electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 1 , wherein the charge transportable structure is a member selected from the group consisting of triarylamine structures, hydrazone structures, pyrazoline structures and carbazole structures.
4. The method of preparing an electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 1 , wherein the charge transportable structure is a triarylamine structure.
5. The method of preparing an electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 1 , wherein the radical polymerizable compound is a member selected from the group consisting of acryloyloxy groups and methacryloyloxy groups.
6. The method of preparing an electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 1 , wherein the radical polymerizable compound is monofunctional.
7. The method of preparing an electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 1 , wherein the tri- or more functional radical polymerizable monomer is a member selected from the group consisting of tri- or more functional acryloyloxy groups and tri- or more functional methacryloyloxy groups.
8. The method of preparing an electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 1 , wherein the surface layer further comprises a heat polymerization initiator or a photopolymerization initiator.
9. The method of preparing an electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 1 , wherein the photosensitive layer comprises:
a charge generation layer located overlying the electroconductive substrate; and
a charge transport layer located overlying the charge generation layer.
10. The method of preparing an electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 1 , wherein a cylindrical substrate is used as a photoreceptor substrate,
said cylindrical substrate rotates,
a spray gun nozzle travels in an axial direction of said cylindrical substrate to coat said substrate,
a distance from said spray gun nozzle to said cylindrical substrate is from 20 mm to 100 mm,
said spray gun nozzle travels at a speed which is not greater than 3.5 mm/s and
said cylindrical substrate rotates at a speed not less than 80 rpm.