CONDUCTIVE ROLLER AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME

摘要

A conductive roller comprising an elastic layer of polyurethane foam obtained by mechanical agitation foaming of a polyurethane raw material containing a polyol component and an isocyanate component. The conductive roller is characterized in that the polyurethane foam constituting the elastic layer has a density of 0.75 to 0.99 g/cm<SUP>3</SUP> in a portion from the surface to a depth of 0.05 mm, a density of 0.2 to 0.7 g/cm<SUP>3</SUP> in a 0.05 mm thickness portion at a through-thickness center area and a difference between these surface portion density and center portion density of 0.25 g/cm<SUP>3</SUP> or greater. By this regulation of the density distribution of the polyurethane foam constituting the elastic layer, the density in the vicinity of the surface of the elastic layer is high and the cell pores appearing at the surface of the elastic layer are small while the density at the through-thickness center area is relatively low, thereby exhibiting favorable flexibility. Accordingly, the priming layer conventionally provided between the elastic layer and the resin coating layer can be omitted and the resin coating layer can be directly superimposed on the elastic layer, thereby attaining a reduction of production cost.