Ascertaining imaging cycle life of a photoreceptor

A process for ascertaining the projected imaging cycle life of an electrophotographic imaging member comprising the steps of

• (a) providing a first electrophotographic imaging member having a cycling life of a known number of imaging cycles, said imaging member comprising an electrically conductive layer and at least one photoconductive layer,
• (b) applying an electric potential to form an electric field across said at least one photoconductive layer,
• (c) terminating said applying of said electric potential,
• (d) exposing said at least one photoconductive layer to activating radiation to discharge said electrophotographic imaging member,
• (e) measuring the dark decay of said at least one photoconductive layer for the time period between about the time of termination of the applying of said potential and a predetermined time prior to or at the time of exposure of said at least one photoconductive layer to activating radiation,
• (f) recording the measured dark decay of said at least one photoconductive layer,
• (g) repeating said applying, terminating, exposing, measuring and recording steps until the amount of dark decay reaches a crest value which remains substantially constant during further repetition of said applying, terminating, exposing, measuring and recording steps,
• (h) repeating the aforesaid steps with at least a second electrophotographic imaging member having a different cycling life of a known number of imaging cycles to establish a reference datum for dark decay versus imaging cycles for said first electrophotographic imaging member and said second electrophotographic imaging member,
• (i) repeating, with a virgin electrophotographic imaging member, said applying, terminating, exposing, measuring and recording steps until the amount of dark decay reaches a crest value which remains substantially constant during further repetition of said applying, terminating, exposing, measuring and recording steps, and
• (j) comparing said dark decay crest value of said virgin electrophotographic imaging member with said reference datum to ascertain the projected cycling life of said virgin electrophotographic imaging member.

A process for ascertaining the projected imaging cycle life of an electrophotographic imaging member comprising the steps of

• (a) providing a first electrophotographic imaging member having a known minimum number of acceptable imaging cycles, said first electrophotographic imaging member comprising an electrically conductive layer and at least one photoconductive layer,
• (b) supplying an electric potential to form an electric field across said at least one photoconductive layer,
• (c) terminating the supplying of said electric potential,
• (d) exposing said at least one photoconductive layer to activating radiation to discharge said electrophotographic imaging member,
• (e) measuring the dark decay of said at least one photoconductive layer for the time period between about the time of termination of the supplying of said electric potential and a predetermined time prior to or at the time of exposure of said at least one photoconductive layer to said activating radiation,
• (f) recording said dark decay of said at least one photoconductive layer,
• (g) repeating said supplying, terminating, exposing, measuring and recording steps until the amount of dark decay reaches a crest value which remains substantially constant during further repetition of said supplying, terminating, exposing, measuring and recording steps,
• (h) repeating, with a virgin electrophotographic imaging member having an unknown cycling life, said supplying, terminating, exposing, measuring and recording steps until the amount of dark decay reaches a crest value which remains substantially constant during further repetition of said supplying, terminating, exposing, measuring and recording steps,
• (i) comparing the dark decay crest value of said virgin electrophotographic imaging member with the dark decay crest value of said first electrophotographic imaging member, and
• (j) discarding virgin photoreceptor samples that have a dark decay crest value exceeding the dark decay crest value of said first electrophotographic imaging member.