Infrared curing of fluoroelastomer coatings formed over silicone rubber in a fuser member

Abstract

A method of curing a fuser member suitable for use in an image forming system using a radiant energy source. The fuser member comprises a substrate, a silicone rubber coating and a cross-linkable fluoroelastomer outer coating. The radiant energy source emits infrared energy directed towards the fluoroelastomer outer coating of the fuser member. The flouroelastomer coating is cured using infrared energy directed at specific bonds within the fluoroelastomer layer, so as to form directly with the infrared heat a cross-linked fluoroelastomer coating.

1 . A method of curing a fuser member suitable for use in an image forming system, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a fuser member having a substrate, a silicone rubber base coating disposed about the substrate, and an outer cross-linkable fluoropolymer coating;    exposing the polymer coating to infrared radiation for a selected curing time to stimulate specific bonds in the cross-linkable fluoropolymer coating to generate a cross-linked fluoropolymer.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-linkable fluoropolymer coating absorbs substantially all of the infrared radiation.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the infrared radiation is substantially completely absorbed by the fluoropolymer coating so as not to affect the properties of the metal substrate and the silicone rubber base coating of the fuser member.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature at which the fuser member is cured is less than continuous use temperatures of the substrate and the silicone rubber coating.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the curing time is in the range between about 2 minutes and about 60 minutes.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the properties of the cross-linked fluoropolymer are fixed after stimulation with the infrared radiation.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the temperature at which the fuser member is cured is less than about 500° F.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-linked fluoropolymer forms a permanent polymer matrix.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the curing time is in the range between about 15 minutes and about 30 minutes.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-linkable fluoropolymer comprises a curable material selected from a group consisting of fluoroelastomers, ethylene propylene hexadiene, polytetrafluoroethylene, perfluoroalkolxy resins, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-linkable fluoropolymer comprises a fluoroelastomer selected from a group consisting of class of a) copolymers of vinylidenefluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene and b) terpolymers of vinylidenefluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluoropolymer is curable by a curing agent selected from the group consisting of bisphenol curatives and silane curatives.  
     
     
         13 . A fuser member made by the process of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         14 . A fuser member suitable for use in an image forming system, comprising: 
 a substrate,    a silicone rubber coating disposed about the substrate, and    a cross-linked flouroelastomer coating disposed on the silicone rubber coating,    wherein said fluoroelastomer coating has been cross-linked with infrared radiation.    
     
     
         15 . The fuser member of  claim 14 , wherein the substrate comprises a hollow metal cylinder.  
     
     
         16 . The fuser member of  claim 14 , wherein the fluoroelastomer is selected from a group consisting of class of a) copolymers of vinylidenefluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene and b) terpolymers of vinylidenefluoride, hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene.  
     
     
         17 . The fuser member of  claim 14 , wherein the silicone rubber layer has a thickness of from about 0.05 to about 20 millimeters.  
     
     
         18 . The fuser member of  claim 14 , wherein the fluoroelastomer layer has a thickness of from about 10 to about 250 microns.