A photosensitive drum adapted for use in electronic copying machines and laser beam printers, the drum made of aluminum-based alloy and supporting a photosensitive recepter thereon, the aluminum-based alloy having a composition consisting essentially of 0.5 to 8.0% of Ni, and preferably, one or more additives selected from a group of 0.05 to 1.5% of Mn, 0.05 to 1.0% of Cr, 0.05 to 0.5% of Zr, 0.5% or less of Ti, 0.1% or less of B, 0.05 to 7.0% of Cu, 0.05 to 7.0% of Mg, 0.05 to 8.0% of Zn, 0.05 to 12.0% of Si, and 0.05 to 2.0% of Fe, and the balance being substantially aluminum.
The present invention prevents the deterioration of electrophotographic photoreceptor properties due to non-uniform dissolution of the surface of an aluminum substrate or production of hydrates during rinsing or drying from hot pure water in an aqueous cleaning process, assuring the uniformity and stability on the surface of an electrically-conductive substrate for electrophotographic photoreceptor. The resulting electrically-conductive substrate for electrophotographic photoreceptor exhibits an excellent corrosion resistance that can be expected to provide a high environmental stability. Further, the resulting electrophotographic photoreceptor can exhibit improved electrical properties. The present invention provides a novel electrically-conductive substrate for electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising aluminum or aluminum alloy, wherein the element ratio of aluminum in metallic form to aluminum in oxide form on the surface of said substrate as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is 1:1 to 1:2.5 and the element ratio of aluminum to phosphorus on the surface of said substrate as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is 1:0.02 to 1:0.1.
The present invention provides a compacted and consolidated aluminum-based alloy material which has been obtained by compacting and consolidating a rapidly solidified material having a composition represented by the general formula: Al.sub.a Ni.sub.b X.sub.c wherein X is one or two elements selected from Zr and Ti and a, b and c are, in atomic percentages, 87.5.ltoreq.a.ltoreq.92.5, 5 .ltoreq.b.ltoreq.10, and 0.5.ltoreq.c.ltoreq.5; and a production process comprising melting a material of the above composition; quenching and solidifying the resultant molten material into powder or flakes; compacting, compressing, forming and consolidating the powder or flakes by conventional plastic working. The consolidated material of the present invention has. elongation (toughness) sufficient to withstand secondary working, even when secondary working is applied. Moreover, the material allows the secondary working to be performed easily while retaining the excellent properties of its raw material.
