# US 2014/0154512 A1 · Surface coating and fuser member > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0154512 A1 - Document ID: US20140154512A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/706,027 - Filed: 2012-12-05 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-05 - Assignees: Xerox Corporation - Applicants: Xerox Corporation - Inventors: Brynn M. Dooley; Yu Qi; Edward G. Zwartz; Nan-Xing Hu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154512A1 ## CPC - G03G 15/20: for fixing, e.g. by using heat - G03G 15/2057: {relating to the chemical composition of the heat element and layers thereof} - Y10T 428/31504: Composite [nonstructural laminate] - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract Described is a fuser member having a substrate and a release layer disposed on the substrate. The release layer includes a non-woven matrix of a plurality of polymer fibers. Each of the plurality of polymer fibers has a diameter of from about 5 nm to about 50 microns. A siloxyfluorocarbon networked polymer dispersed throughout the plurality of polymer fibers. The plurality of polymer fibers are from about 5 weight percent to about 50 weight percent of the release layer. In embodiments the polymer fibers are encased in a fluoropolymer sheath. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fuser member comprising: a substrate; and a release layer disposed on the substrate, the release layer having a non-woven matrix comprising a plurality of polymer fibers, the plurality of polymer fibers having a diameter of from about 5 nm to about 50 microns and a siloxyfluorocarbon networked polymer dispersed throughout the plurality of polymer fibers wherein the polymer fibers comprise from about 5 weight percent to about 50 weight percent of the release layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fuser member of claim 1, wherein the plurality polymer fibers comprise a material selected from the group consisting of a polyamide, a polyester, a polyimide, a polycarbonate, a polyurethane, a polyether, a polyoxadazole, a polybenzimidazole, a polyacrylonitrile, a polycaprolactone, a polyethylene, a polypropylene, a acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), a polybutadiene, a polystyrene, a polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA), a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS), a poly(vinyl alcohol), a poly(ethylene oxide), a polylactide, a poly(caprolactone), a poly(ether imide), a poly(ether urethane), a poly(arylene ether), a poly(arylene ether ketone), a poly(ester urethane), a poly(p-phenylene terephthalate), a cellulose acetate, a poly(vinyl acetate), a poly(acrylic acid), a polyacrylamide, a polyvinylpyrrolidone, hydroxypropylcellulose, a poly(vinyl butyral), a poly(alkly acrylate), a poly(alkyl methacrylate), polyhydroxybutyrate, fluoropolymer, a poly(vinylidene fluoride), a poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene), a fluorinated ethylene-propylene copolymer, a poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-perfluoropropyl vinyl ether), a poly((perfluoroalkyl)ethyl methacrylate), a cellulose, a chitosan, a gelatin, a protein, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fuser member of claim 1, wherein the plurality polymer fibers comprise a fluoropolymer selected from the group consisting of: copolymers of vinylidenefluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene; terpolymers of vinylidenefluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene; tetrapolymers of vinylidenefluoride, hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, and a cure site monomer; polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE); perfluoroalkoxy polymer resin (PFA); copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and hexafluoropropylene (HFP); copolymers of hexafluoropropylene (HFP) and vinylidene fluoride (VDF or VF2); terpolymers of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), vinylidene fluoride (VDF), and hexafluoropropylene (HFP); and tetrapolymers of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), vinylidene fluoride (VF2), and hexafluoropropylene (HFP) and a cure site monomer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fuser member of claim 1 wherein the siloxyfluorocarbon networked polymer is formed from siloxyfluorocarbon monomers represented by the structure: wherein Cf is a linear aliphatic or aromatic fluorocarbon chain having from 2 to 40 carbon atoms; L is a CnHn group, where n is a number between 0 and about 10; and X1, X2, and X3 are reactive hydroxide functionalities, reactive alkoxide functionalities, unreactive aliphatic functionalities of about 1 carbon atom to about 10 carbon atoms, unreactive aromatic functionalities of about 1 carbon atom to 10 carbon atoms wherein all siloxyfluorocarbon monomers are bonded together via silicon oxide (Si—O—Si) linkages in a single system and wherein the siloxyfluorocarbon networked polymer is insoluble in solvents selected from the group consisting of ketones, chlorinated solvents and ethers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The fuser member of claim 4 wherein the siloxyfluorocarbon monomers further comprise monomers represented by the structure: wherein Cf is a linear or branched aliphatic or aromatic fluorocarbon chain having from 2 to 40 carbon atoms; L is a CnH2n group, where n is a number between 0 and about 10; and X1, X2, and X3 are reactive hydroxide functionalities, reactive alkoxide functionalities, unreactive aliphatic functionalities of about 1 carbon atom to about 10 carbon atoms, unreactive aromatic functionalities of about 1 carbon atom to 10 carbon atoms. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The fuser member of claim 1 wherein the plurality polymer fibers comprise a fluorinated polyimide having a chemical structure as follows: wherein Ar1 and Ar2 independently represent an aromatic group of from about 4 carbon atoms to about 100 carbon atoms; and wherein at least one of Ar1 and Ar2 further contains a fluoro-pendant group wherein n is from about 30 to about 500. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The fuser member of claim 1, wherein the release layer further comprises conductive particles selected from the group consisting of: carbon black, graphene, graphite, alumina, tin oxide, antimony dioxide, antimony-doped tin oxide, titanium dioxide, indium oxide, zinc oxide, indium oxide and indium-doped tin trioxide, polyaniline and polythiophene dispersed in the release layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The fuser member of claim 1, further comprising a surface layer disposed on the release layer wherein the surface layer comprises the siloxyfluorocarbon networked polymer. ### Claim 9 A fuser member comprising: a substrate; a release layer disposed on the substrate comprising a first section of a non-woven matrix comprising a plurality of polymer fibers encased in a fluoropolymer sheath wherein the fluoropolymer sheath comprises a thickness of from about 10 nm to about 200 microns, the plurality of polymer fibers having a diameter of from about 5 nm to about 50 microns and a siloxyfluorocarbon networked polymer dispersed throughout the plurality of polymer fibers wherein the polymer fibers comprise from about 5 weight percent to about 50 weight percent of the release layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The fuser member of claim 9, wherein the plurality polymer fibers comprise a material selected from the group consisting of a polyamide, a polyester, a polyimide, a fluorinated polyimide, a polycarbonate, a polyurethane, a polyether, a polyoxadazole, a polybenzimidazole, a polyacrylonitrile, a polycaprolactone, a polyethylene, a polypropylene, a acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), a polybutadiene, a polystyrene, a polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA), a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS), a poly(vinyl alcohol), a poly(ethylene oxide), a polylactide, a poly(caprolactone), a poly(ether imide), a poly(ether urethane), a poly(arylene ether), a poly(arylene ether ketone), a poly(ester urethane), a poly(p-phenylene terephthalate), a cellulose acetate, a poly(vinyl acetate), a poly(acrylic acid), a polyacrylamide, a polyvinylpyrrolidone, hydroxypropylcellulose, a poly(vinyl butyral), a poly(alkly acrylate), a poly(alkyl methacrylate), polyhydroxybutyrate, fluoropolymer, a poly(vinylidene fluoride), a poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene), a fluorinated ethylene-propylene copolymer, a poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-perfluoropropyl vinyl ether), a poly((perfluoroalkyl)ethyl methacrylate), a cellulose, a chitosan, a gelatin, a protein, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The fuser member of claim 9, wherein said fluoropolymer sheath comprises a fluoroelastomer selected from the group consisting of copolymers of vinylidenefluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene, terpolymers of vinylidenefluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene, tetrapolymers of vinylidenefluoride, hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, and a cure site monomer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The fuser member of claim 9, wherein said fluoropolymer sheath comprises a fluoroplastic selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE); perfluoroalkoxy polymer resin (PFA); copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and hexafluoropropylene (HFP); copolymers of hexafluoropropylene (HFP) and vinylidene fluoride (VDF or VF2); terpolymers of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), vinylidene fluoride (VDF), and hexafluoropropylene (HFP); and tetrapolymers of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), vinylidene fluoride (VF2), and hexafluoropropylene (HFP) and a cure site monomer; and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The fuser member of claim 9 wherein the siloxyfluorocarbon networked polymer is formed from siloxyfluorocarbon monomers represented by the structure: wherein Cf is a linear aliphatic or aromatic fluorocarbon chain having from 2 to 40 carbon atoms; L is a CnH2n group, where n is a number between 0 and about 10; and X1, X2, and X3 are reactive hydroxide functionalities, reactive alkoxide functionalities, unreactive aliphatic functionalities of about 1 carbon atom to about 10 carbon atoms, unreactive aromatic functionalities of about 1 carbon atom to 10 carbon atoms. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The fuser member of claim 13 wherein the siloxyfluorocarbon monomers further comprise monomers represented by the structure: wherein Cf is a linear or branched aliphatic or aromatic fluorocarbon chain having from 2 to 40 carbon atoms; L is a CnH2n group, where n is a number between 0 and about 10; and X1, X2, and X3 are reactive hydroxide functionalities, reactive alkoxide functionalities, unreactive aliphatic functionalities of about 1 carbon atom to about 10 carbon atoms, unreactive aromatic functionalities of about 1 carbon atom to 10 carbon atoms. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The fuser member of claim 9, wherein the release layer further comprises conductive particles selected from the group consisting of: carbon black, graphene, graphite, alumina, tin oxide, antimony dioxide, antimony-doped tin oxide, titanium dioxide, indium oxide, zinc oxide, indium oxide and indium-doped tin trioxide, polyaniline and polythiophene dispersed in the release layer. ### Claim 16 A fuser member comprising: a substrate; a release layer disposed on the substrate comprising a first section of a non-woven matrix comprising a plurality of polymer fibers encased in a fluoropolymer sheath wherein the fluoropolymer sheath comprises a thickness of from 10 nm to about 200 microns, the plurality of polymer fibers having a diameter of from about 5 nm to about 50 microns and a siloxyfluorocarbon networked polymer dispersed throughout the plurality of polymer fibers wherein the polymer fibers comprise from about 5 weight percent to about 50 weight percent of the release layer; and a surface layer comprising the siloxyfluorocarbon networked polymer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The fuser member of claim 16 wherein the siloxyfluorocarbon networked polymer is formed from siloxyfluorocarbon monomers represented by the structure: wherein Cf is a linear aliphatic or aromatic fluorocarbon chain having from 2 to 40 carbon atoms; L is a CnH2n group, where n is a number between 0 and about 10; and X1, X2, and X3 are reactive hydroxide functionalities, reactive alkoxide functionalities, unreactive aliphatic functionalities of about 1 carbon atom to about 10 carbon atoms, unreactive aromatic functionalities of about 1 carbon atom to 10 carbon atoms wherein all siloxyfluorocarbon monomers are bonded together via silicon oxide (Si—O—Si) linkages in a single system and wherein the siloxyfluorocarbon networked polymer is insoluble in solvents selected from the group consisting of ketones, chlorinated solvents and ethers. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The fuser member of claim 16 wherein the siloxyfluorocarbon monomers further comprise monomers represented by the structure: wherein Cf is a linear or branched aliphatic or aromatic fluorocarbon chain having from 2 to 40 carbon atoms; L is a CnH2n group, where n is a number between 0 and about 10; and X1, X2, and X3 are reactive hydroxide functionalities, reactive alkoxide functionalities, unreactive aliphatic functionalities of about 1 carbon atom to about 10 carbon atoms, unreactive aromatic functionalities of about 1 carbon atom to 10 carbon atoms. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The fuser member of claim 16, wherein said fluoropolymer sheath comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: copolymers of vinylidenefluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene; terpolymers of vinylidenefluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene; tetrapolymers of vinylidenefluoride, hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, and a cure site monomer; polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE); perfluoroalkoxy polymer resin (PFA); copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and hexafluoropropylene (HFP); copolymers of hexafluoropropylene (HFP) and vinylidene fluoride (VDF or VF2); terpolymers of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), vinylidene fluoride (VDF), and hexafluoropropylene (HFP); and tetrapolymers of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), vinylidene fluoride (VF2), and hexafluoropropylene (HFP) and a cure site monomer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The fuser member of claim 16, wherein the surface layer comprises a surface energy of from about 10 mN/m2 to about 25 mN/m2.