Organic photoconductors with improved wear

Abstract: The present invention relates to an organic photoconduc­ tor comprising a charge generation layer and on top thereof a charge transport layer having a higher concentration of charge transport molecules nearer the charge generation layer than in the top most portion.

Description: The present invention relates to organic photoconductors having improved wear without any degradation in electrophotographic properties. Background Art U. S. Pat. No. 4,082,551 discloses the use of multilayer photoconductor structure beneath the photoconductive transport layer which prevents electrical interaction between the conductive support and the transport layer. U. S. Pat. No. 4,254,199 discloses a polymer photoconductor placed between two charge generating layers which when alternatively charged and discharged across the transport layer, create the imaging potential across the charge generation and carrier layers only. U. S. Pat. No. 4,388,392 discloses the use of a homogenous composition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and polyvinyl carbazole to provide a charge transport layer with improved mechanical properties. U. S. Pat. No. 4,513,073 discloses the use of two space charge layers sandwiching a photoconductive layer in order to enhance the applied electric field on the photoconductor and increase the quality of the copied image. The space charge layers are typically n or p type silicon deposited on a preferred insulating blocking layer of silicon suboxide. U. S. Pat. No. 4,026,704 discloses an organic photoconductive double layer where the top layer photoconducting substance is 40-60% by weight and the base layer has only 5-10% by weight of the substance. The resulting double layers are said to produce increases in sensitivity of up to five times that achieved with a single layer. The patent shows (see col. 2, line 15) a charge transport layer, the top portion of which contains a higher concentration of charge transport material than is present in the bottom layer. The present invention goes directly against the teaching of this prior art patent. With reference to two examples the present invention will now be described. According to the present invention, which is defined in the appended claims, organic photoconductors with improved wear characteristics are obtained by using two separate charge transport layers with a higher concentration of charge transport material in the bottom layer than in the top layer. At the present time, organic photoconductors have a higher wear rate than desired. The present invention provides a solution to this problem and results in photoconductors having significantly improved wear characteristics without any observable degradation in electrophotographic properties. The present invention requires the use of two charge transport layers. The layer next to the charge generation layer is rich in charge transport material while the outermost layer is relatively lean. A common solvent is preferably used to form both layers. The use of such a common solvent results in intermixing and yields a graded concentration of charge transport material. There are many known charge transport materials which are in common use. Examples of these materials include 4-diethylaminobenzaldehyde diphenylhydrazone (DEH); bis(4-N,N-diethylamino-2-methyl phenyl)-phenyl methane; N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'--bis(3-methyl phenyl)-[1,1'-biphenyl]-4,4'-diamine; N-phenyl--N-methyl-3(3-ethyl) carbazyl hydrazone; 2,5 bis (4-N,N'--diethylaminophenyl) 1,2,4-oxadiazole; and 1-phenyl-3-diethylaminostyryl-5-diethylaminophenyl pyrazoline. There are also many known polymeric binders for charge transport layers. These include, for example, polycarbonate, polyesters and polyarylates. The present invention is applicable to all such charge transport agents and polymer binders. Furthermore, it is not necessary to use the same binder for both layers. The optimum proportions vary somewhat with the particular ingredients used, i.e., with the particular charge transport material and the particular polymer binder. In general, however, the concentration of charge transport material at the bottom, i.e. near the charge generation layer, may be any concentration which does not interfere with the mechanical properties. Concentration of up to 80% are possible. In general, concentrations of from 80% to 30% are used. In the outermost or top region of the charge transport layer there need be no charge transport agent at all. The approximate thickness of the entire layer is generally on the order of about 20 microns. The following Examples are given solely for purposes of illustration, and are not be considered limitations of the present invention, many variations of which will occur to those skilled in the art, without departing from the scope or spirit thereof. Example 1 A graded transport layer was prepared in which the layer adjacent to the charge generation layer was 20 parts polycarbonate and 80 parts DEH. The top layer was 80 parts polycarbonate and 20 parts DEH. The layer adjacent to the charge generation layer was approximately three times as thick as the top layer. (Total transport layer thickness was ∼20 µ.) A squaric acid methane dye as described in U. S. Pat. No. 3,824,099 in a polymeric binder was used as a charge generation layer. Control Comparative Data: Single Layer Graded Volts decayed after 260 msec 25 5 Volts decayed after 173 msec 50 14 Residual potential @ 1.56 µJ/cm 2 91V 95V Dark fatigue 103V 53V Light fatigue 34V 28V A graded transport evaluated for filming caused by pitting of the charge transport layer showed an order of magnitude less pitting than the single layer transport. Results of a Taber abrasion test were: Control - 1.28 mg/in 2 @ 800 cycles Graded - 0.81 mg/in 2 @ 800 cycles The above data shows that the graded transport has improved photoresponse and decreased wear over that obtained with the single layer transport. Example 2 A graded transport was prepared in which the layer next to the charge generation layer contained 40% DEH and 60% polycarbonate with an outer layer of dopant lean polyarylate. The polyarylate (Ardel D-100, Union Carbide Co.) was applied as a solution without the DEH transport dopant to the first layer. Since a common solvent (tetrahydrofuran) was used, some intermixing of the two layers occurred and a DEH lean outer layer was obtained. A squaric acid methane dye in a polymeric binder was used as the charge generation layer. Evaluation of the transport layer in a Taber abrasion wear test showed that the graded transport had about 4 mg. weight loss while the single layer control had about 11 mg. weight loss. The electrophotographic properties of the two transports were equal.

Claims: An organic photoconductor comprising a charge generation layer and on top thereof two separate charge transport layers, the bottom layer of which contains 80% of charge transport material and the top layer contains 20% of charge transport material. An organic photoconductor comprising a charge generation layer and on top thereof two separate charge transport layers, the bottom layer of which contains 40% of charge transport material and the top layer contains no charge transport material. An organic photoconductor as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the charge transport material is 4-diethylaminobenzaldehyde diphenylhydrazone. An organic photoconductor as claimed in any preceding claim in which the charge transport layer comprises a polycarbonate binder.

Inventors: CHAMP ROBERT BRUCE, SHATTUCK MEREDITH DAVID, STREMEL DONALD ALLEN, CHAMP, ROBERT BRUCE, SHATTUCK, MEREDITH DAVID, STREMEL, DONALD ALLEN
Applicants: LEXMARK INT INC, LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: G03G5
IPC codes: G03G5