Fuser manufacture and article

Abstract

According to an embodiment a method of making a fuser member is described. The method includes, obtaining a silicone layer disposed on a substrate and coating a primer composition including an aqueous dispersion of a fluorelastomer and a curing agent on the silicone layer. A topcoat composition is coated on the primer composition which includes a fluoroplastic dispersion. The primer composition and the topcoat composition are heated to form the fuser member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of making a fuser member, comprising:
 obtaining a silicone layer disposed on a substrate;   coating a primer composition comprising an aqueous dispersion of amino-silane and a fluoroelastomer, on the silicone layer;   coating a topcoat composition comprising a fluoroplastic dispersion on the primer composition;   heating the primer composition and the topcoat composition to form the fuser member.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fluoroelastomer comprises a fluoroelastomer selected from the group consisting of i) copolymers of vinylidenefluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene, ii) terpolymers of viylidenefluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene, and iii) tetrapolymers of vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, perfluoroalkoxy, fluorinated ethylene propylene and tetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the topcoat composition forms an outer layer having a thickness of from about 20 μm to about 100 μm. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the primer composition further comprises conductive fillers. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the conductive fillers are selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes, carbon black, acetylene black, graphite, graphene, metal, metal oxide, doped metal oxides, metal carbide and polyanaline. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the metal oxides are selected from a group consisting of aluminum oxide, zinc oxide, magnesium oxide and tin oxide. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the primer composition forms a primer layer having a surface resistivity of less than 10 5  ohms/square. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fuser member has a surface resistivity of less that about 10 9  ohms/square. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the aminosilane is selected from the group consisting of (N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane), (N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyl-methyldiimethoxysilane), (N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyl-dimethylmethoxysilane), 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, 3-aminopropyl-methyldimethoxysilane and 3-aminopropyl-dimethylmethylmethoxysilane. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the primer composition comprises the fluoroelastomer in the amount of from about 15 weight percent to about 70 weight percent of total dispersion, and the amino silane in the amount of from about 1 weight percent to about 20 weight percent of the fluoroelastomer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fluoroplastic dispersion comprises a fluoroplastic selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), perfluoroalkoxy polymer resin (PFA), and copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and hex afluoropropylene (HFP). 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the heating comprises heating the primer composition and the topcoat compositions to a temperature of from about 200° C. to about 250° C. for about 10 minutes to about 100 minutes, followed by heating the primer composition and topcoat composition to a temperature above the melting temperature of the fluoroplastic. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising coating a conductive dispersion comprising conductive fillers and a fluoropolymer on the primer composition prior to coating the topcoat composition. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein conductive fillers are selected from the group consisting of single-walled carbon nanotubes, double-walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, carbon black, acetylene black, graphite, graphene, metal, metal oxide, doped metal oxides metal carbide and polyanaline; and wherein the fluoropolymer comprises a fluoroelastomer or a fluoroplastics. 
     
     
         15 . A method of making a fuser member, comprising:
 obtaining a silicone layer disposed on a substrate;   coating a primer composition comprising an aqueous dispersion of amino-silane, a fluoroelastomer, and conductive fillers on the silicone layer;   coating a conductive dispersion comprising conductive fillers and a fluoropolymer on the primer composition;   coating a topcoat composition comprising a fluoroplastic dispersion on the primer composition;   heating the primer composition and the topcoat composition to a temperature of from about 200° C. to about 250° C. for about 10 minutes to about 100 minutes followed by heating the primer composition and topcoat composition to a temperature above the melting temperature of the fluoroplastic to form the fuser member.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the conductive fillers are selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes, carbon black, acetylene black, graphite, graphene, metal, metal oxide, doped metal oxides, metal carbide and polyanaline. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the metal oxides are selected from a group consisting of aluminum oxide, zinc oxide, magnesium oxide and tin oxide. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the fuser member has a surface resistivity of less that about 10 9  ohms/square. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the primer composition and conductive composition form a dual primer layer having a surface resistivity of less than 10 5  ohms/square. 
     
     
         20 . A method of making a fuser member, comprising:
 obtaining a silicone layer disposed on a substrate;   coating a primer composition comprising an aqueous dispersion of amino-silane, conductive fillers and a fluoroelastomer, on the silicone layer;   coating a topcoat composition comprising a fluoroplastic dispersion on the primer composition;   heating the primer composition and the topcoat composition to form the fuser member wherein the primer composition forms a primer layer having a surface resistivity of less than  10   5  ohms/square and the fluoroplastic dispersion forms a topcoat layer having a surface resistivity of less that about 10 9  ohms/square.