Method of sensitizing zinc oxide with sensitizing dye and photosensitive layers utilizing the sensitized zinc oxide
AssigneeKinoshita Laboratory
InventorsKoichi Kinoshita, Ichiro Yoshida
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sensitizing dye and a hydrophilic resin are dissolved in a first solvent, and a second solvent is added to the solution. The second solvent is less volatile than the first solvent, miscible therewith and does not dissolve both of the sensitizing dye and the hydrophilic resin. A powder of the sensitized zinc oxide is incorporated into the solution. After blending, the mixture is dried and pulverized to obtain a powder of sensitized zinc oxide. This powder is then mixed with a bonding agent consisting of a resinous material having an acid value of 5-30 to form a mixture which is formed into a thin photosensitive layer for use in electrophotography.
Claims29
A photosensitive layer for use in electrophotography which is produced by preparing a dye sensitized zinc oxide powder by bonding a sensitizing dye as a solid state on the surface of zinc oxide powder with a hydrophilic resin, mixing the dye sensitized zinc oxide powder with a hydrophobic bonding agent consisting of a resinous material having an acid value of from 5 to 30 to form a mixture, said bonding agent containing carboxylic radicals, forming the resulting mixture into a thin film, and applying a layer of a silicone resin on the surface of said thin film, said silicone layer containing hydroxyl radicals of from 0.3 to 3% by weight.
A photosensitive layer for use in electrophotography which is produced by preparing a dye sensitized zinc oxide powder by dissolving a sensitizing dye and a hydrophilic resin in a first solvent to form a resultant solution, said resin being adapted to bond said dye to the surface of the zinc oxide as solid state, adding to said resultant solution a second solvent to form a mixed solution, said second solvent being less volatile than said first solvent, miscible therewith and not dissolving either said sensitizing dye or said hydrophilic resin, incorporating a powder of zinc oxide into said mixed solution to form a resulting mixture, and drying said resulting mixture to obtain the sensitized zinc oxide powder;
- mixing the sensitized zinc oxide powder with a hydrophobic bonding agent consisting of a resinous material having an acid value of from 5 to 30 to form a different resulting mixture, said bonding agent containing carboxylic radicals;
- forming the resulting mixture into a thin film;
- and applying a layer of a silicone resin on the surface of said thin film, said silicone layer containing hydroxyl radicals of from 0.3 to 3% by weight.
A method of preparing a photosensitive layer for use in electrophotography, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) preparing a dye sensitized zinc oxide powder by:
- (i) dissolving a sensitizing dye and a hydrophilic resin in a first solvent, said resin being adapted to provide a mechanical bond between said dye and the surface of zinc oxide powder particles;
- (ii) adding the solution resulting from step (i) to a second solvent to form a mixed solution, said second solvent being less volatile than said first solvent, miscible therewith, and substantially incapable of dissolving said dye and said hydrophilic resin;
- (iii) incorporating zinc oxide powder into said mixed solution;
- and
- (iv) drying the mixture resulting from step (iii);
- (b) mixing said dye sensitized zinc oxide powder with a hydrophobic bonding agent;
- and
- (c) forming the resulting mixture into a thin layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.