Interactions between organic photoconductor and plasma discharge within an electrophotographic environment

Abstract

Structural and chemical compositional changes occurring within the surface region of an organic photoconductor electrically charged with Paschen discharge over an extended period of time have been investigated with the help of attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Experimental conditions were selected to simulate interactions between the photoconductor and the plasma discharge occurring in a typical electrophotographic printing environment. A long time exposure of the photoconductor to energetic charged and neutral species, and UV photons impinging upon the photoconductor caused oxidation of the surface, substantial chemical bond breakage, and the reformation of bonding configurations within the region below the surface. These resulted in the formation of a thin surface region with properties different from those of the original photoconductor. Since this study closely follows a modern electrophotographic process, the obtained conclusions are applicable to any electrophotographic printing engine.