Laser printing process using light controlled wettability

An imaging member comprising:

• a substrate;
• a surface layer disposed on the substrate, wherein the surface layer comprises a compound having reversible light controlled wettability whereby the surface layer is reversibly hydrophilic and hydrophobic;
• wherein exposure of the surface layer to a first expose source provides a uniformly hydrophilic surface for attracting a polar liquid;
• and
• wherein exposure of the surface layer to a second expose source in an image-wise fashion provides a surface having hydrophilic non-image areas and hydrophobic images areas for attracting a hydrophobic liquid colorant;
• and
• wherein the first expose source is an ultra-violet light expose source;
• and
• wherein the second expose source is a visible light expose source.

An image forming apparatus for forming images on a recording medium comprising:

• a) an imaging member having a substrate and a surface layer disposed on the substrate, wherein the surface layer comprises a compound having reversible light controlled wettability whereby the surface layer is reversibly hydrophilic and hydrophobic;
• b) a first expose device that renders the surface layer uniformly hydrophilic;
• c) a second expose device that renders image areas of the surface layer hydrophobic;
• d) a liquid colorant source that contacts the exposed surface to a hydrophobic liquid colorant wherein the hydrophobic liquid colorant attracts to the hydrophobic image areas;
• d) a transfer component for transferring the image areas to another member or to a final recording substrate;
• e) a fixing member to fix the image to the final recording substrate;
• and
• d) optionally, a cleaning device for removing residual hydrophobic liquid colorant;
• wherein the first expose device is an ultra-violet light expose device;
• and
• wherein the second expose device is a visible light expose device.

A light controlled laser imaging method comprising:

• exposing a surface layer of an imaging member substrate to a first expose source to render the surface layer uniformly hydrophobic;
• wherein the surface layer comprises a compound having reversible light controlled wettability whereby the surface layer is reversibly hydrophobic and hydrophilic;
• exposing the surface layer to a second expose source in an image-wise fashion to render image areas of the surface layer hydrophilic;
• wherein the first expose source is an ultra-violet light expose source, and wherein the second expose source is a visible light expose source;
• exposing the surface layer to a non-polar liquid wherein the non-polar liquid attracts to non-image hydrophobic areas;
• exposing the surface layer to a hydrophilic liquid colorant wherein the hydrophilic liquid colorant attracts to hydrophilic image areas;
• contacting the surface layer with an image receiving substrate to transfer the image thereto;
• fixing the image;
• and optionally, treating the surface layer to remove residual hydrophilic liquid colorant.

An imaging member comprising:

• a substrate;
• a surface layer disposed on the substrate, wherein the surface layer comprises a compound having reversible light controlled wettability whereby the surface layer is reversibly hydrophobic and hydrophilic;
• wherein exposure of the surface layer to a first expose source provides a uniformly hydrophobic surface for attracting a non-polar liquid;
• and
• wherein exposure of the surface layer to a second expose source in an image-wise fashion provides a surface having hydrophobic non-image areas and hydrophilic images areas for attracting a hydrophilic liquid colorant;
• and
• wherein the first expose source is an ultra-violet light expose source, and wherein the second expose source is a visible light expose source.

An imaging member comprising:

• a substrate;
• a surface layer disposed on the substrate, wherein the surface layer comprises a compound having reversible light controlled wettability whereby the surface layer is reversibly hydrophilic and hydrophobic;
• wherein exposure of the surface layer to a first expose source provides a uniformly hydrophilic surface for attracting a polar liquid;
• and
• wherein exposure of the surface layer to a second expose source in an image-wise fashion provides a surface having hydrophilic non-image areas and hydrophobic images areas for attracting a hydrophobic liquid colorant;
• and
• wherein the compound having reversible light controlled wettability is an azobenzene of the formula