Process for producing conductive rubber roller, and roller for electrophotographic apparatus

Abstract

A process for producing a conductive rubber roller having a conductive core material and a rubber layer provided thereon. The rubber layer contains at least acrylonitrile rubber, epichlorohydrin rubber and a blowing agent, and has a gas generation rate of from 2 ml/g·min to 4 ml/g·min at 170° C. to 230° C. The process has a vulcanizing and foaming step of vulcanizing and foaming the rubber layer by using a microwave vulcanizing furnace which provides hot air and irradiation with microwaves. A temperature of a heating atmosphere in the microwave vulcanizing furnace in the vulcanizing and foaming step is so controlled that a ratio of initial vulcanizing time T10 to initial foaming time Tp10, T10/Tp10, of the rubber layer is from 1 or more to less than 3 and the T10 is within 90 seconds.

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