Conducting layer for organic photoconductive element

Claim 2

A UNITARY MULTILAYER PHOTOCONDUCTIVE ELEMENT COMPRISING A SUPPORT, A CONDUCTING LAYER OVERCOATING SAID SUPPORT, AND A HYDROPHOBIC ORGANIC PHOTOCONDUCTIVE LAYER OVERCOATING SAID CONDUCTING LAYER, SAID CONDUCTING LAYER HAVING (A) AN ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY LESS THAN ABOUT 10**8 OHM PER SQUARE AND (B) A COMPOSITION CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF AN INTIMATE PHYSICAL MIXTURE OF AT LEAST ONE PROTECTIVE INORGANIC OXIDE AND FROM ABOUT 30 TO AOUT 70 WEIGHT PERCENT OF AT LEAST ONE ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTING METAL.

Claim 3

A unitary multilayer photoconductive element as defined in claim 1 wherein said oxide is selected from the group consisting of silicon monoxide, silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, tantalum oxide, boro-silicon oxide, and titanium oxide and wherein said conducting layer thickness is less than about 1,000 A.

Claim 4

A unitary multilayer photoconductive element as defined in claim 1 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of chromium, silver, nickel, copper, and gold.

Claim 5

A unitary multilayer photoconductive element as defined in claim 1 wherein said metal is chromium, said inorganic oxide is selected from the group consisting of silicon monoxide, silicon dioxide, and mixtures thereof, and said conducting layer thickness is within the range of from about 10 A to about 150 A.

Claim 6

A unitary multilayer photoconductive element comprising a support, a conducting layer overcoating said support, and a hydrophobic organic photoconductive layer overcoating said conducting layer, said conducting layer having a. an optical density less than about 0.30, b. an electrical resistivity less than about 106 ohms per square and c. a composition consisting essentially of an inorganic oxide selected from the group consisting of silicon monoxide, silicon dioxide, and mixtures thereof and from about 40 to about 60 weight percent of chromium.

Claim 7

A unitary multilayer photoconductive element comprising a support, a conducting layer overcoating said support, and a hydrophobic organic photoconductive layer overcoating said conducting layer, said conducting layer having a. an optical density less than about 0.30, b. an electrical resistivity less than about 106 ohms per square and c. a composition consisting essentially of an inorganic oxide selected from the group consisting of silicon monoxide, silicon dioxide, and mixtures thereof and from about 40 to about 60 weight percent of chromium.

Claim 8

A unitary multilayer photoconductive element comprising a support; a first polymeric adhesive subbing layer on said support; a conducting layer on said first subbing layer; a second polymeric adhesive subbing layer on said conducting layer; and a hydrophobic organic photoconductive layer on said second subbing layer, said conducting layer having a. an optical density less than about 0.30, b. an electrical resistivity less than about 108 ohms per square, and c. a composition consisting essentially of an intimate physical mixture of at least one protective inorganic oxide and from about 30 to about 70 weight percent of at least one electrically conducting metal.

Claim 9

A unitary multilayer photoconductive element comprising a support; a first polymeric adhesive subbing layer on said support; a conducting layer on said first subbing layer; a second polymeric adhesive subbing layer on said conducting layer; and a hydrophobic organic photoconductive layer on said second subbing layer, said conducting layer having a. an optical density less than about 0.30, b. an electrical resistivity less than about 108 ohms per square, and c. a composition consisting essentially of an intimate physical mixture of at least one protective inorganic oxide and from about 30 to about 70 weight percent of at least one electrically conducting metal.

Claim 10

A unitary multilayer photoconductive element as defined in claim 6 wherein said oxide iS selected from the group consisting of silicon monoxide, silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, tantalum oxide, boro-silicon oxide, and titanium oxide and wherein said conducting layer thickness is less than about 1,000 A.

Claim 11

A unitary multilayer photoconductive element as defined in claim 6 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of chromium, silver, nickel, copper, and gold.

Claim 12

A unitary multilayer photoconductive element as defined in claim 6 wherein said metal is chromium, said inorganic oxide is selected from the group consisting of silicon monoxide, silicon dioxide, and mixtures thereof, and said conducting layer thickness is within the range of from about 10 A to about 150 A.

Claim 13

A unitary multilayer photoconductive element as defined in claim 6 wherein said first and second polymeric adhesive subbing layers comprise a vinylidene chloride-containing polymer.

Claim 14

A unitary multilayer photoconductive element comprising a support; a first adhesive polymeric subbing layer comprising a copolymerized blend of monomers containing over 50 percent by weight of vinylidene chloride on said support; a conducting layer on said first subbing layer; a second adhesive polymeric subbing layer comprising a copolymerized blend of monomers containing over 50 percent by weight of vinylidene chloride on said conducting layer; and a hydrophobic organic photoconductive layer on said second subbing layer, said conducting layer having a. an optical density less than about 0.15, b. an electrical resistivity less than about 106 ohms per square, and c. a composition consisting essentially of an inorganic oxide selected from the group consisting of silicon monoxide, silicon dioxide, and mixtures thereof and from about 40 to about 60 weight percent of chromium.

Claim 15

A unitary multilayer photoconductive element comprising a support; a first adhesive polymeric subbing layer comprising a copolymerized blend of monomers containing over 50 percent by weight of vinylidene chloride on said support; a conducting layer on said first subbing layer; a second adhesive polymeric subbing layer comprising a copolymerized blend of monomers containing over 50 percent by weight of vinylidene chloride on said conducting layer; and a hydrophobic organic photoconductive layer on said second subbing layer, said conducting layer having a. an optical density less than about 0.15, b. an electrical resistivity less than about 106 ohms per square, and c. a composition consisting essentially of an inorganic oxide selected from the group consisting of silicon monoxide, silicon dioxide, and mixtures thereof and from about 40 to about 60 weight percent of chromium.

Claim 16

In an electrophotographic copying process wherein a reusable photoconductive element is subjected to multiple imaging cycles, each cycle comprising image-forming and imagetransfer steps, the improvement which comprises using in said process a reusable photoconductive element comprising a support, a conducting layer overcoating said conducting layer, and a hydrophobic organic photoconductive layer overcoating said conducting layer, said conducting layer having a. an electrical resistivity less than about 108 ohms per square, and b. a composition consisting essentially of an intimate physical mixture of at least one protective inorganic oxide and from about 30 to about 70 weight percent of at least one electrically conducting metal.

Claim 17

In an electrophotographic copying process wherein a reusable photoconductive element is subjected to multiple imaging cycles, each cycle comprising image-forming and imagetransfer steps, the improvement which comprises using in said process a reusable photoconductive element comprising a support, a conducting layer overcoating said conducting layer, and a hydrophobic organic photoconductive layer overcoating said conducting layer, said conducting layer having a. an electrical resistivity less than about 108 ohms per square, and b. a composition consisting essentially of an intimate physical mixture of at least one protective inorganic oxide and from about 30 to about 70 weight percent of at least one electrically conducting metal.