Abstract: A polymer nanofiber structural body of the present invention is a polymer nanofiber structural body in which polymer nanofibers are integrated, including a first layer and a second layer different from each other in polymer nanofiber existence ratio, in which: both the first layer and the second layer are laminated through a buffer region; the buffer region includes a region in direct contact with both the first layer and the second layer; and a polymer nanofiber existence ratio of the region continuously changes from a polymer nanofiber existence ratio of the first layer to a polymer nanofiber existence ratio of the second layer in a direction from the first layer to the second layer.

Abstract: Provided is a glossy member, including: a polymer substrate; and a polymer fiber assembly disposed on the polymer substrate, in which: the polymer fiber assembly has polymer fibers oriented in a given direction; an absolute value of a difference between an average solubility parameter of a constituent material for the polymer substrate and an average solubility parameter of a polymer material of the polymer fibers is less than 5 (J/cm3)1/2; the polymer fibers have an orientation degree of 90% or more; the polymer fibers have fiber diameters of 0.05 ?m or more and 5 ?m or less; and in at least part of a repeating unit structure in the polymer material, a dipole moment is 0 D or more and 3.50 D or less, and an absolute value of a SOMO is 9 eV or more and 12 eV or less.

Abstract: Provided is a sliding member, which is reduced in friction under sliding conditions of high load and high speed under an oilless condition, and is excellent in wear resistance. The sliding member includes: a shaft; and at least one intervening member, in which: the at least one intervening member is located between the shaft and a bearing, and is operable independently of the shaft; and at least one surface of the at least one intervening member on a shaft side includes a sliding surface under one of a radial load and an axial load.

Abstract: To provide, between separated first sliding surfaces (DLC), a material of which frictional coefficient is higher than that of DLC at a temperature of 25° C. and a humidity of 45% as a second sliding surface.

Abstract: An electroconductive member of the present invention includes an electroconductive support layer and a surface layer formed on the circumference of the electroconductive support layer and having a network structure containing an electroconductive fiber, and the electroconductive fiber has ion conductivity, and has an arithmetic mean value of top 10% fiber diameters of 0.2 ?m or more and 15.0 ?m or less. The surface layer always satisfies specific conditions.

Abstract: Provided is an electroconductive member for electrophotography capable of charging an electrically chargeable body stably over a long period of time. The electroconductive member includes an electroconductive support and a surface layer on the electroconductive support. The surface layer has a skeleton that is three-dimensionally continuous and a pore that communicates in a thickness direction, and when any region measuring 150 ?m per side of a surface of the surface layer is photographed and equally divided into 60 parts in a vertical direction and 60 parts in a horizontal direction to form 3,600 squares, the number of squares including through holes is 100 or less. The skeleton is non-electroconductive and includes a plurality of particles connected to each other through a neck, and an average value D1 of circle-equivalent diameters of the particles is 0.1 ?m or more and 20 ?m or less.

Abstract: A method of producing a polymer nanofiber structural body of the present invention includes: forming, on a base material, a first layer in which polymer nanofibers are irregularly integrated by an electrospinning method; cutting the first layer together with the base material; and irradiating an argon beam from a base material side in parallel with a fracture surface to direct the length directions of the polymer nanofibers of the first layer on the base material side toward the thickness direction of the first layer to form a second layer different from the first layer in pore structure, thereby providing a polymer nanofiber structural body having a plurality of pore structures and free of any clear interface.

Abstract: Provided is an electroconductive member for electrophotography capable of charging an electrically chargeable body stably over a long period of time. The electroconductive member includes an electroconductive support and a surface layer on the electroconductive support. The surface layer has a skeleton that is three-dimensionally continuous and a pore that communicates in a thickness direction, and when any region measuring 150 ?m per side of a surface of the surface layer is photographed and equally divided into 60 parts in a vertical direction and 60 parts in a horizontal direction to form 3,600 squares, the number of squares including through holes is 100 or less. The skeleton is non-electroconductive and includes a plurality of particles connected to each other through a neck, and an average value D1 of circle-equivalent diameters of the particles is 0.1 ?m or more and 20 ?m or less.

Abstract: An electro-conductive roller, such as a charging roller, that can reduce abnormal electrical discharge in the axial direction of the roller and pinhole leak and be resistant to degradation in electrical characteristics even with long-term use, and a method of manufacturing the same, are provided. In an electro-conductive roller including fibers having electrical conductivity and arranged with no gap in the identical direction on the outer periphery surface of a mandrel, polymer fibers are adopted as the fibers.

Abstract: The electroconductive member has an electroconductive support and a surface layer formed on the electroconductive support, wherein the surface layer has a porous body having a continuous open pore, and the electroconductive member satisfies the following (1) and (2): (1) in a specific condition, a surface potential of the electroconductive member, after an elapse of 10 seconds since a completion of a discharge is 10 V or more; and (2) when applying a direct voltage between a polyethylene terephthalate film as a member to be charged and the electroconductive member, and charging the polyethylene terephthalate film, |Vd|?|Vin|?|Vth| is satisfied within a range of |Vin|>|Vth|, wherein, Vd represents a charge potential of the polyethylene terephthalate film, Vin represents a voltage applied between the electroconductive member and the polyethylene terephthalate film, Vth represents a discharge starting voltage.

Abstract: In a nanofiber structure in which a nanofiber A and a nanofiber B are tangled with each other, the softening point of the nanofiber A is different from that of the nanofiber B, a cross-section along a surface of the nanofiber A orthogonal to a longitudinal direction thereof has a shape having a concave portion, and the nanofiber A and the nanofiber B are fused with each other at this concave portion.

Abstract: Provided is a nanofiber accumulated body having a high mechanical strength and excellent in durability, the polymer nanofiber accumulated body including polymer nanofibers each containing a polymer material, the polymer nanofibers being accumulated and three-dimensionally entangled with each other to form the accumulated body, in which: the polymer nanofibers each have a fiber diameter of 3 ?m or less; and the polymer nanofibers each contain 5 wt % to 30 wt % of a low-molecular weight organic compound having at least one ?,?-unsaturated ester structure, with respect to a total weight of the polymer nanofibers.

Abstract: Provided is a porous laminate having satisfactory resistance to a mechanical load such as a bending stress while maintaining the characteristics of a porous structure. A porous laminate includes: a layer A formed on a support, the layer A including a porous film containing polymer nanofibers; and a layer B formed on the layer A, the layer B including a porous film containing polymer nanofibers, in which: an existence ratio of the polymer nanofibers contained in the layer A) is larger than an existence ratio of the polymer nanofibers contained in the layer B; and a difference between the existence ratio of the polymer nanofibers contained in the layer A and the existence ratio of the polymer nanofibers contained in the layer B is more than 40%.

Abstract: To suppress an image trouble resulting from abnormal discharge independent of the use conditions and use environment of an electroconductive member, provided is an electroconductive member to be used while being brought into contact with a body to be contacted, the electroconductive member comprising a layer of a network structural body on an outer peripheral surface of a electroconductive support, in which: when a surface of the network structural body in a surface of the electroconductive member is observed, at least a part of the network structural body exists in an arbitrary square region having one side length of 200 ?m; the network structural body contains non-electroconductive fibers; and an average fiber diameter of a top 10% of fiber diameters of the non-electroconductive fibers measured at arbitrary points is 0.2 ?m or more and 15 ?m or less.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electroconductive member including an electroconductive support layer and a surface layer formed on a circumference thereof and having a network structure containing fibers, in which an arithmetic mean value dU10 of top 10% fiber diameters is 0.2 ?m or more and 15.0 ?m or less, rigid structural body having a height of 1.0×10?2 to 1.0×101 times as large as a thickness of the surface layer are present on the outer circumferential portion of the electroconductive support layer, and the surface layer satisfies specific conditions.

Abstract: Provided is an electroconductive member configured to suppress a void image caused by abnormal discharge and a horizontal streak-like image caused by downstream discharge without depending on the thickness of a photosensitive layer of a photosensitive drum over a long period of time. The electroconductive member for electrophotography comprises at least an electroconductive support and a surface layer formed on an outer side of the electroconductive support. The surface layer includes a porous body and satisfies the predetermined (1), (2), and (3).

Abstract: Based on an electrospinning method, a layer A formed of a polymer continuous phase is formed by: setting a potential difference between an ejection portion configured to eject a polymer solution and a collecting portion configured to collect the polymer nanofibers to a voltage value at which the polymer nanofibers can be spun; and setting the potential of the collecting portion to a low value with respect to a ground potential. Next, a layer B formed of polymer nanofibers and a polymer continuous phase is formed by increasing the potential of the collecting portion without stopping the application of voltages to the ejection portion and the collecting portion. Further, a layer C formed of polymer nanofibers is formed by increasing the potential of the collecting portion without stopping the application of the voltages to the ejection portion and the collecting portion.

Abstract: Provided is a rubber composition for producing a rubber molded article that is improved in fouling resistance while being reduced in tackiness and frictional force despite the presence of the rubber in its surface. The rubber composition includes: a rubber A; and a plastic B, in which: the rubber A includes a non-fluorine-based rubber material; a difference in elastic modulus between the rubber A and the plastic B is 50 MPa or more; a sea-island structure having a sea portion containing the rubber A and a plurality of island portions each containing the plastic B is formed; the plastic B is contained at a content of more than 0 vol % and 50 vol % or less with respect to a total amount of the rubber A and the plastic B; and 90% or more of the plurality of island portions each have a volume of 4,000 ?m3 or less.

Abstract: Provided is a nanofiber sheet that has a high mechanical strength, is excellent in durability, and has a high specific surface area. The nanofiber sheet includes: a plurality of nanofibers; and a bulk portion produced by bonding of the nanofibers, in which 7×10?3 portion/?m2 or more of the bulk portion satisfying the following formula is contained: 0.5?X2?Y?5 ?m2??(1) where X represents a diameter (?m) of each of the nanofibers and Y represents an area (?m2) of an inscribed circle of the bulk portion when viewed from a surface.

Abstract: Provided is an optical element including a substrate and a light-shielding film in a part of the substrate. The light-shielding film contains a resin and a colorant. The resin is a cured epoxy resin having a first aryl unit represented by Formula (1) below in a side chain or a terminal. [In the formula, Ar represents a monocyclic unsubstituted aryl group, a polycyclic unsubstituted aryl group, a monocyclic substituted aryl group, or a polycyclic substituted aryl group.