Process for fabrication of seamless uv cured intermediate transfer belts (itb)

Abstract

Various embodiments provide methods and apparatus for forming intermediate transfer belts (ITBs) by combining a dip-coating process with a UV-curing process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An intermediate transfer belt (ITB) comprising:
 one or more coating layers stacked together to provide the ITB,
 wherein the ITB has a surface resistivity ranging from about 10 8  ohms/sq to about 10 13  ohms/sq, and a thickness ranging from about 30 microns to about 500 microns with a thickness uniformity within a range of ±3 microns, and 
 wherein each coating layer of the one or more coating layers comprises a UV cured polymer. 
   
     
     
         2 . The ITB of  claim 1 , wherein the UV cured polymer comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of a monomeric acrylate, an oligomeric acrylate and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The ITB of  claim 2 , wherein the monomeric acrylate is selected from the group consisting of trimethylolpropane triacrylate, hexandiol diacrylate, tripropyleneglycol diacrylate, dipropyleneglycol diacrylate, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The ITB of  claim 2 , wherein the oligomeric acrylate is selected from the group consisting of urethane acrylate, polyester acrylate, epoxy acrylate, polyether acrylate, olefin acrylate comprising polybutadiene acrylate and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The ITB of  claim 4 , wherein the oligomeric acrylate is urethane acrylate. 
     
     
         6 . The ITB of  claim 1  wherein each coating layer comprises one or more conductive fillers. 
     
     
         7 . The ITB of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more conductive fillers is in an amount ranging from about 0.2% to about 30% by weight of the total coating layer. 
     
     
         8 . The ITB of  claim 7 , wherein the one ore more conductive fillers is selected from the group consisting of carbon blacks, carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, polyanilines, stannic oxides, indium oxides, potassium titanates and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The ITB of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more conductive fillers comprises carbon nanotubes. 
     
     
         10 . The ITB of  claim 1 , wherein each coating layer comprises one or more conductive species. 
     
     
         11 . The ITB of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more conductive species is in an amount ranging from about 1% to about 40% by weight of the total coating layer. 
     
     
         12 . The ITB of  claim 10 , herein the conductive species is selected from the group consisting of salts of organic sulfonic acid, esters of phosphoric acid, esters of fatty acids, ammonium or phosphonium salts and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The ITB of  claim 1 , wherein the ITB has a belt width ranging from about 8 inches to about 40 inches and a circumference ranging from about 8 inches to about 60 inches. 
     
     
         14 . The ITB of  claim 1 , wherein the ITB has a Young's modulus ranging from about 500 MPa to about 8,000 MPa. 
     
     
         15 . The ITB of  claim 1 , wherein the stacked coating layers have a combined thickness ranging from about 70 to about 120 microns. 
     
     
         16 . The ITB of  claim 1 , wherein the ITB is seamless. 
     
     
         17 . The ITB of  claim 1 , wherein the ITB further comprises an outer release layer disposed over the UV cured polymer. 
     
     
         18 . The ITB of  claim 1 , where the ITB further comprises an outer release later disposed over a conformable layer that is disposed over the UV cured polymer. 
     
     
         19 . The ITB of  claim 1 , wherein a surface resistivity of the ITB ranges from about 10 10  ohms/sq to about 10 11  ohms/sq.