Abstract: A collector is disclosed that is made of a polyolefin fiber having amidoxime groups and that is capable of efficient adsorptive recovery of useful metals such as uranium, vanadium, cobalt and titanium which are dissolved in small quantities in seawater. In the presence of a polymerizable monomer having a hydrophilic group, a polymerizable monomer having a cyano group is grafted to a polyolefin fiber by radiation-initiated graft polymerization to form both a hydrophilic group and a cyano group in the same graft side chains, and the cyano groups in the graft side chains are reacted with hydroxylamine to be converted to amidoxime groups, thereby producing a collector capable of recovering dissolved metals from seawater.

Abstract: A fuser member whose outermost layer comprises a fluorocarbon-silicone interpenetrating network, comprising: (a) a first polymer comprising a fluorocarbon elastomer; (b) a second polymer selected from a curable polyfunctional poly(C(1-6) alkyl)siloxane polymer; a curable polyfunctional poly(C(1-6) alkyl)arylsiloxane polymer; and combinations thereof; and (c) a functionalized polydimethylsiloxane containing amine groups.

Abstract: An anti-reflection coating layer system is composed of 4 oxide layers. The material of surface layer is a transparent conductive coating and has a high refractive index between 1.9 to 2.1. The materials used for the surface layer are a transparent conductive coating such as SnO2, ZnO2, In2O3, and ITO.

Abstract: Coated articles are provided with an anti-reflective (AR) layer(s) system which enables reduced reflection, increased visible transmission, and/or neutral color. In certain embodiments, the AR layer(s) system includes a silicon nitride layer(s), a silicon oxynitride layer, and/or a silicon oxide layer on the substrate over an infrared (IR) reflecting layer(s) such as silver. The AR system surprisingly enables improved visible transmission and/or reflection to be combined with more neutral color.

Abstract: This invention has its object to provide an interlayer film for laminated glass an interlayer film for laminated glass which, when assembled into laminated glass, offers good transparency, weathering resistance, adhesion, penetration resistance and other characteristics, does not cause marginal whitening of laminated glass even exposed to a highly humid atmosphere, and free from the risk for a fire hazard in autoclaving or the problem associated with edge trimming and a laminate glass comprising said interlayer film. This invention is related to an interlayer film for laminated glass comprising a plasticized poly(vinyl acetal) resin film, wherein, when a laminated glass fabricated by interposing said interlayer film between a pair of glass sheets each 2.0 to 4.0 mm thick is allowed to sit in an environment of 80° C. and 95% relative humidity for 2 weeks, the distance of whitening from its edge is not greater than 7 mm, and when said interlayer film for laminated glass is allowed to sit at 150° C.

Abstract: A coating liquid for forming a transparent coating comprising fine particles of an inorganic compound and a hydrolyzate of an organosilicon compound represented by the general formula (I): RnSi(OR′)4−n  (I) wherein R and R′ represent organic groups which may be identical to each other or different from each other, and n is an integer of 1 to 3. This coating liquid ensures excellent substrate wettability and compatibility with various organic solvents so that the printability and applicability thereof are desirable, with the result that a transparent coating film of high uniformity, for example, a flattening coating film, can be formed. The present invention comprises a substrate having a transparent coating film formed on the substrate surface from the above coating liquid.

Abstract: The invention provides a packaging structure applied to an automotive component having semiconductors and electronic parts mounted on a ceramic base, characterized in that the semiconductors and electronic parts are partly or entirely sealed with a thixotropic silicone gel which has a thixotropy index of about 1.5-3.6 and a penetration depth of about 6-10 mm and a rate of change in viscosity of less than 10% of the initial value.

Abstract: Described is a thermoplastic resin film having on a surface thereof a hydroxy-modified imine polymer containing repeating units represented by the following general formula (I) in an amount of 5 mol % or more based on the total of repeating units.

Abstract: The invention relates to microcapsules for which the walls comprise reaction products of polyisocyanates with guanidine compounds and amines.

Abstract: An article that is a flooring material or a wall covering coated with a wear layer that is a heat-cured and radiation-cured coating composition, the composition including a polyvinyl chloride (PVC resin), an acrylic or methacrylic compound, and a radiation-reactive urethane oligomer, the composition being substantially or completely free of internal or external plasticizers.

Abstract: A method for not only preserving cellulose material from deterioration and from fire, but also for producing plywood, chip and particle aborad with an inexpensive and environmentally acceptable adhesive is described. The cellulose material is processed by spraying, immersing or being subjected to vacuum and pressure application in two steps. One step processes the cellulose material with a sodium silicate preservative solution. Another step processes the cellulose material with a gaseous carbon dioxide. Pressure application, moreover, can be varied in a range not to exceed 250 psi to improve product quality. Moistened cellulose material, treated in the foregoing manner, is coated with a comminuted protein, e.g. soybean meal, and pressed into a cellulose product, typically plywood and chip board.

Abstract: Contoured metal-containing structural members and methods for making the same. The contoured structural members comprise metal-containing materials sandwiching a support or stabilizing structure. The contoured structure can be provided by tube rolling (or roll wrapping) the metal-containing materials and the support structure together and then, if necessary, bonding them or connecting them. With a contoured and generally non-flat structure, applications for the structural members of the present invention are nearly limitless.

Abstract: Multilayer metal foil pads or panels for heat or sound insulation or shielding comprising two or more corrugated metal foil or metal sheet layers wherein a flat metal foil or metal sheet layer is positioned between each pair of corrugated layers. The corrugated layers and/or the flat layers may be embossed, patterned or textured to enhance performance of the pad or panel. A preferred pad or panel comprises an embossed, patterned or textured flat exterior layer adapted for contacting the surface to be insulated or shielded to provide air space between the pad or panel and the surface and to separate the first corrugated layer from the surface. Methods are provided for making the pads and panels, which are useful in automotive applications, food cooking devices and other uses.

Abstract: A mandrel for electroforming non-uniformly thick orifice plates and a method of making the mandrel are disclosed. The orifice plates have a thicker border surrounding a thinner orifice area. The mandrel has a metallic layer on a substrate. The metallic layer has a first molding surface that is electrically isolated from a second molding surface. The first and second molding surfaces are for substantially electroforming the border and the orifice area respectively. The mandrel also has dielectric areas patterned on the metallic layer for electroforming orifices in the orifice area. In use, the first molding surface is used to first electroform the border without electroforming the orifice area. As the border builds up, it electrically connects the first and the second molding surfaces to allow the second molding surface to subsequently electroform the orifice area.

Abstract: Systems and methods of manufacturing etchable heterojunction interfaces and etched heterojunction structures are described. A bottom layer is deposited on a substrate, a transition etch layer is deposited over the bottom layer, and a top layer is deposited over the transition etch layer. The transition etch layer substantially prevents the bottom layer and the top layer from forming a material characterized by a composition substantially different than the bottom layer and a substantially non-selective etchability with respect to the bottom layer. By tailoring the structure of the heterojunction interface to respond to heterojunction etching processes with greater predictability and control, the transition etch layer enhances the robustness of previously unreliable heterojunction device manufacturing processes. The transition etch layer enables one or more vias to be etched down to the top surface of the bottom layer in a reliable and repeatable manner.

Abstract: An article, particularly a metallic article, is coated with a multi-layer coating having the color or appearance of dark copper. The coating comprises a chromium, refractory metal or refractory metal alloy adhesion promoting layer, a titanium-zirconium alloy nitride or titanium-zirconium alloy carbonitride protective and color layer, and a titanium-zirconium alloy oxide or titanium-zirconium oxynitride color enhancing layer.

Abstract: A thermal barrier coating (TBC) for a component intended for use in a hostile environment, such as the superalloy turbine, combustor and augmentor components of a gas turbine engine. The TBC is formed of zirconia that is partially stabilized with yttria (YSZ), preferably not more than 3 weight percent yttria, and to which one or more additional metal oxides are alloyed to increase crystallographic defects and lattice strains in the TBC grains and/or form precipitates of zirconia and/or compound(s) of zirconia and/or yttria and the additional metal oxide(s), the inclusion of which reduces the thermal conductivity of the YSZ to levels lower than conventional 6-8% YSZ. Improvements are particularly contemplated for TBC having a columnar grain structure, such as those deposited by EBPVD and other PVD techniques.

Abstract: The design of a magnetic thin film disk, for use in a disk drive, with an amorphous or nanocrystalline pre-seed layer preferably followed by a ruthenium-aluminum (RuAl) seed layer is described. The pre-seed layer may be CrTa or AlTi. The pre-seed layer deposited over a glass substrate, for example, allows a more strongly oriented RuAl seed layer to be deposited and, thus, favorably influences the orientation and grain size in the subsequent layers which include preferably at least one Cr alloy underlayer and at least one magnetic layer.

Abstract: A steel for forming a high strength steel sheet contains, in mass %, C: at most 0.04%, Si: at most 0.4%, Mn: 0.5-3.0%, P: at most 0.15%, S: at most 0.03%, Al: at most 0.50%, N: at most 0.01%, and Mo: 0.01-1.0%. Steel sheet formed from the steel is suitable for use as automotive panels.

Abstract: An airfoil having a melting temperature of at least about 1500° C. and comprising a first piece and a second piece joined by a braze to the first piece. The first piece comprises one of a first niobium-based refractory metal intermetallic composite and a first-based refractory metal intermetallic composite, and the second piece comprises one of a second niobium-based refractory metal intermetallic composite and a second molybdenum-based refractory metal intermetallic composite. The braze joining the first piece to the second piece is a semi-solid braze that comprises a first component and a second component.

Abstract: A luminescent device in accordance with the present invention includes an anode, a cathode, and an organic layer containing at least one organic compound provided therebetween. The work function of the anode (Wf(anode)) and the Fermi level of the organic layer (Ef(anode)) being in contact with the anode satisfies the following equation (I): Ef(anode)−0.2≦Wf(anode)≦Ef(anode)+0.

Abstract: This invention relates to fluorene compounds and their use as a hole transport material in an electro-luminescence device.

Abstract: A spin-valve thin-film magnetic element includes a substrate; an antiferromagnetic layer; a pinned magnetic layer in contact with the antiferromagnetic layer, the magnetization direction of the pinned magnetic layer being pinned by an exchange coupling magnetic field with the antiferromagnetic layer; a nonmagnetic conductive layer in contact with the pinned magnetic layer; a free magnetic layer in contact with the nonmagnetic conductive layer, the magnetization direction of the free magnetic layer being aligned in a direction perpendicular to the magnetization direction of the pinned magnetic layer; and a back layer composed of a nonmagnetic conductive material formed in contact with the free magnetic layer at the opposite side of the nonmagnetic conductive layer. The back layer is composed of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Ru, Pt, Ir, Rh, Pd, Os, and Cr.

Abstract: A multilayer-coated cutting tool comprising a cutting tool substrate, and a multilayer coating film comprising a first hard coating film formed on the substrate and a second hard coating film formed on the first hard coating film, the first hard coating film comprising one or more metallic elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, Al and Cr, and one or more non-metallic elements selected from the group consisting of N, B, C and O; and the second hard coating film comprising Si and one or more metallic elements selected from the group consisting of metallic elements of Groups 4a, 5a and 6a of the Periodic Table and Al, and one or more non-metallic elements selected from the group consisting of N, B, C and O; the second hard coating film being a composition-segregated polycrystalline film comprising a phase having a relatively high Si concentration and a phase having a relatively low Si concentration.

Abstract: A fuel cell having a polymer electrolyte membrane (16) between anode (14) and cathode (18) reactant flow fields includes a variable blower (32), the power control signal (61) of which is provided by a controller (75) in response to a current signal (63) indicative of the current of the load (71) sensed by a current detector (68). The controller responds to a schedule of blower power as a function of load current density to provide a stochiometry, S, which is fixed at a stochiometry of A, plus or minus a range of stochiometries, D, below a certain current density, C, and varies with higher current densities as: S=[A+B(i−C)]±D, where B is he slope of stochiometry as a function of current density, and i is the actual current density.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for temperature regulation of a fuel cell using differential heat capacity of the fuel storage media is disclosed. The method of regulating the temperature involves measuring the temperature of one or more fuel cells, comparing the temperature against target values, selecting a control method from a set of available control methods based on the result of comparison and using that control method to initiate and control a regulation cycle, and actuating a flow control means using the selected control method to alter the flow of fuel between one or more fuel storage containers, each containing fuel storage media which exhibit different enthalpies of formation and dissociation. The regulation process starts with measuring temperature (110) of a fuel cell system (100). The measured temperature is then compared (120) to a predetermined set of ideal target values designed to provide peak fuel cell performance.

Abstract: A combustion heating device for heating a fluid to be heated includes a fuel supply device that supplies the fuel to the device, and a vaporizing device that burns a portion of the fuel supplied by the fuel supply device, and vaporizes a remaining portion of the fuel by using heat generated through combustion of the portion of the fuel. The combustion heating device further includes a first air supply device that supplies air to be used for combustion of the portion of the fuel by the vaporizing device, and a second air supply device that supplies air to be used for combustion of the remaining portion of the fuel vaporized by the vaporizing device. A fuel reforming apparatus incorporating the combustion heating device as vaporizing section, and a fuel cell system including the fuel reforming apparatus are also provided.

Abstract: According to the present invention, access to a password area in a nonvolatile memory cannot be granted by simple supply of an address in a normal order. According to one preferable mode, for instance, a trap address is set in the password area so that reading information from the password area is permitted only when the password area is accessed without accessing the trap address, whereas when the password area is accessed the trap address, whereas when the password area is access through the trap address, information reading is inhibited, or meaningless data is output or the information in the password area is destroyed. This invention can make it harder to gain access to a password area which is used to protect against illegitimate copying and can provide a nonvolatile memory having a stronger copy protection capability.

Abstract: An oxide-ion conductor has the formula Ln1-xAxGa1-y-xB1yB2z oxide, wherein Ln is at least one element selected from the group consisting of La, Ce, Pr, Nd and Sm; A is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Sr, Ca and Ba; B1 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Al and In; B2 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Co, Fe, Ni and Cu; x is 0.05 to 0.3; y is 0 to 0.29; z is 0.01 to 0.3; and y+z is 0.025 to 0.3. The oxide-ion conductor exhibits higher oxide-ion conductivity than stabilized zirconia, excellent heat resistance and also high ion conductivity even at low temperatures, as well as exhibiting low oxygen-partial-pressure dependence of ion conductivity.

Abstract: Flow fields comprising a set of fluid distribution channels may be employed in fuel cells for purposes of distributing fluid reactants to an electrochemically active area of the fuel cell. Water management and reactant distribution may be improved by increasing pressure gradients between adjacent channels. Such pressure gradients may be increased by engineering the channels such that the resistance to reactant flow differs along the length of adjacent channels.

Abstract: The invention relates to fuel cells. Fuel cells are devices which transform chemical power in to electrical power. The subject fuel cells are of simpler structure and lower cost than those previously known. The subject fuel cells include a housing chamber containing molten carbonates and two electrodes at least partially immersed in said molten carbonates. The electrodes comprise an internal working space and have pores dimensioned so that gas is kept within the electrode by capillary forces.

Abstract: Computer-assisted methods for determining the state of charge of a specific lithium ion battery, without the need for charging and discharging the battery, by utilizing look-up tables or algorithms which store the relationships of state of charge to open-circuit voltage or to ramp-peak current, or to both for that type of specific lithium-ion battery to determine the state of charge for that specific lithium-ion battery.

Abstract: An alkali metal secondary electrochemical cell, and preferably a lithium ion cell, provided with a removable gas relief valve, is described. The gas release valve is positioned on the casing, in fluid flow communication between the inside thereof and the exterior. This gas release valve serves to eliminate cell gases that build up inside the casing during the cell's formation stage. Once the lithium-ion cell has completed formation, the gas release valve is removed and replaced with a hermetic closure. Removal of the gas release valve and sealing of the cell takes place in an environment in which no outside gas is capable of being introduced inside the casing. The cell can also be provided in a tank filled with inert gas and a filter which separates the cell gas from the inert gas. When cell formation is completed, the cell hermetically sealed.

Abstract: In a sealed battery pack comprising a plurality of serially disposed cells in which power generating elements are housed in prismatic cell cases and the openings thereof are sealed, the plurality of serially disposed cells are housed in a cooling box, and the top openings in the cooling box and the openings in the various cell cases of the cells are sealed by integrating lids. Coolant passages on both sides between the side surfaces of the cells and the side walls on both sides of the cooling box in the cell arrangement direction, and coolant passages between the cases of the cells are formed so as to communicate with each other, so that all of the side surfaces of the cells are forcibly cooled by a coolant.

Abstract: A nano-battery or micro-battery produced by a process which includes the steps of providing a membrane with a plurality of pores, filling the membrane pores with an electrolyte, and capping the filled pores with electrodes in communication with the electrolyte to form nano-batteries or micro-batteries.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new process for attaching the anode lead to the battery case, creating a case negative design. The anode lead is an extension of the anode current collector and is nested between the case and the lid. Excess lead material is ground or cut off and the case to lid seal is achieved by laser/electron beam welding. The new procedure enhances the hermicity of the cell and the new process is applicable to a number of additional applications. This includes primary lithium batteries, implantable batteries, lithium based rechargeable cells, also acid or alkaline based batteries.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell of either a primary or a secondary chemistry, is described. In either case, the cell has a negative electrode of lithium or of an anode material which is capable of intercalating and de-intercalating lithium coupled with a positive electrode of a cathode active material. A dicarbonate compound is mixed with either the anode material or the cathode active material prior to contact with its current collector. The resulting electrode couple is activated by a nonaqueous electrolyte. The electrolyte flows into and throughout the electrodes causing the dicarbonate additive to dissolve in the electrolyte. The dicarbonate solute is then able to contact the lithium to provide an electrically insulating and ionically conducting passivation layer thereon.

Abstract: Lightweight, low resistance, thin plate for lead-acid electrochemical cells formed primarily of an aluminum foil substrate having a thickness of between about 0.005 inches and 0.030 inches, and a continuous outer layer of lead or lead alloy having a thickness of less than about 0.005 inches and that is corrosive resistant to the electrolytic acid of the battery.

Abstract: A battery separator is provided which is hardly broken by tension during the manufacture of batteries, is hardly punctured with a plate flash, and is hardly torn off with a plate edge, thereby hardly causing a short circuit. Accordingly, the separator can facilitate the stable manufacture of the batteries. The battery separator is equipped with a fiber sheet containing a polypropylene fiber having a tensile strength of not less than 10 g/d (denier) and a Young's modulus of not less than 800 kg/mm2, said separator having a resistance of not less than 585 gf to puncture by edge, or is equipped with a fiber sheet containing not less than 10 mass % of a polypropylene fiber having a tensile strength of not less than 10 g/d (denier) and a Young's modulus of not less than 800 kg/mm2.

Abstract: A freestanding battery separator includes a microporous polymer web with passageways that provide overall fluid permeability. The polymer web preferably contains UHMWPE and a gel-forming polymer material. The structure of or the pattern formed by the gel-forming polymer material and wettability of the UHMWPE polymer web result in a reduction of the time required to achieve uniform electrolyte distribution throughout the lithium-ion battery. In a first embodiment, the gel-forming polymer material is a coating on the UHMWPE web surface. In a second embodiment, the gel-forming polymer material is incorporated into the UHMWPE web while retaining overall fluid permeability. Both embodiments produce hybrid gel electrolyte systems in which gel and liquid electrolyte co-exist.

Abstract: An alkaline battery comprises a negative electrode having an active material comprised of mercuryless zinc powder containing a gelling agent. In one embodiment, the alkaline battery comprises a current collector having an outermost surface coated with a layer of zinc or a metal having a hydrogen overvoltage higher than that of zinc, and an electrolyte containing one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of an indium compound, lead oxide; a hydroxide of alkaline earth metal and a surfactant having polyethylene oxide. In another embodiment, the negative electrode active material contains one or more species of materials selected from the group consisting of an indium compound, lead oxide, a hydroxide of alkaline earth metal and a surfactant having polyethylene oxide, and a current collector having an outermost surface coated with a layer of zinc or a metal having a hydrogen overvoltage higher than that of zinc.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lithium polymer secondary battery having at least a basic battery cell including a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a polymer electrolyte in an outer can, wherein the battery has a suitable structure to use the polymer electrolyte polymerized in the battery and has excellent cycle characteristics. One of the electrodes is U-shaped and the other electrode is inserted in the U-shaped electrode. The polymer electrolyte includes a polymer containing a polyalkylene oxide structure and a solvent and is polymerized in the battery. The thickness of the battery is not greater than 2 mm.

Abstract: A novel process is proposed for the volume diffractive element (Bragg grating) fabrication in photosensitive silicate glasses doped with silver, cerium, fluorine, and bromine. The process employs a photo-thermo-refractive (PTR) glass of high purity exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation of a He—Cd laser at 325 nm followed by thermal development at temperatures from 480° C. to 580° C., preferably at 520° C., from several minutes to several hours. Absolute diffraction efficiency up to 95% was observed for 1 mm thick gratings. Maximum spatial frequency recorded in PTR glass was about of 10,000 mm−1. No decreasing of diffraction efficiency were detected at low spatial frequencies. Original glasses were transparent (absorption coefficient less than 1 cm−1) from 350 to 4100 nm. Induced losses in exposed and developed glass decreased from 0.3 to 0.03 cm−1 between 400 and 700 nm, respectively, and did not exceed 0.01-0.02 cm−1 in the infrared (IR) region from 700 to 2500 nm.

Abstract: A process to correct distortions due to optical proximity effects is described. A two reticle per pattern approach is used. The first, or primary, reticle contains the image that is to be transferred to the photoresist. It is used to expose the resist in the usual way to the correct dosage of light needed to optimally activate it. For a primary reticle bearing a line pattern, the second, or correction, reticle bears a pattern of rectangles which are located and dimensioned so that, when aligned relative to the primary reticle, they overlap all line ends in the pattern. The amount by which the rectangles overlap the lines is similar to the amount by which serifs (if they had been used) would overlap. The amount by which the rectangles extend outside the line ends is not critical (provided it is at least as large as the inside overlap amount). This property allows a single rectangle to be shared by many line ends.

Abstract: A method for checking the position of alignment marks after a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process and automatically compensating for alignment of a wafer stepper based on the position checking is described. A wafer is provided having an alignment mark thereon for the purpose of aligning a reticle in the wafer stepper. The wafer is polished by CMP. Thereafter, alignment mark positioning is checked for deviation from a normal vectorial position of the alignment mark whereby information about the deviation is fed back to the wafer stepper and wherein the wafer stepper automatically compensates for correctable alignment error based on the deviation information.

Abstract: The present invention includes structures, lithographic mask forming solutions, mask forming methods, field emission display emitter mask forming methods, and methods of forming plural field emission display emitters. One aspect of the present invention provides a mask forming method including forming a masking layer over a surface of a substrate; screen printing plural masking particles over a surface of the masking layer; and removing at least portions of the masking layer using the masking particles as a mask. Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of forming plural field emission display emitters.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device causing no pattern shifting of a peripheral oxide film etc. in removal of both of an antireflection film and a mask pattern and having a fine structure not implementable solely by photolithography and the semiconductor device are obtained. The method of fabricating a semiconductor device comprises steps of forming a base film of either a silicon film or a silicon compound film on a semiconductor substrate, forming a hard film of either a metal film or a metal compound film on the base film, forming a resist pattern on the hard film, dryly etching the hard film through the resist pattern serving as a mask for forming a hard pattern, dryly etching the base film through the hard pattern serving as a mask and removing the hard pattern by wet etching with a chemical solution not etching at least the base film.

Abstract: A method of figuring an exposure energy. A required exposure energy is calculated according to a critical dimension (CD) of an exposing layer. A first CD deviation is obtained from a layer before the exposing layer. From the first CD deviation, a first energy compensation is calculated. Whether the deviation of photoresist sensitivity of two sequential batches is less than 1% is checked. If the deviation of photoresist sensitivity of two sequential batches is less than 1%, a sum of the required exposure energy and the first energy compensation is the exposure energy applied to the exposing layer. Otherwise, a second CD deviation is commutated according to the deviation of photoresist sensitivity of two sequential batches. A second energy compensation is then obtained from the second CD deviation, and a sum of the required exposure energy and the first/second energy compensation is the exposure energy applied to the exposing layer.

Abstract: A toner, particularly a color toner suitable for full-color image formation through a substantially oil-less heat-pressure fixing device, is formed from at least a binder resin, a colorant and a wax. The toner has viscoelasticity including: a storage modulus at 80° C. (G′80) in a range of 1×106-1×1010 dN/m2, storage moduli at temperatures of 120-180° C. (G′120-180) in a range of 5×103-1×106 dN/m2, and loss tangents (tan &dgr;=G″/G′ as a ratio between G″ (loss modulus) and G′ (storage molecules)) including a loss tangent at 180° C. (tan &dgr;180) and a minimum of loss tangents over a temperature range of 120-180 ° C. (tan &dgr;min) satisfying 1≦tan &dgr;180/tan &dgr;min. The toner further exhibits a thermal behavior providing a heat-absorption curve according to differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showing a maximum heat-absorption peak temperature in a range of 50-110° C. in a temperature range of 30-200° C.

Abstract: A photoconductive member with a supporting substrate, and thereover a first layer comprised of a mixture of a photogenerator component, a hole transport component, and an electron transport component; and thereover a second layer comprised of a charge transport component.