Chapter # 12

Electrostatics

Lecture #04

(Xerography)
 Applications of Electrostatics:
Chapter # 12 There are many applications of electrostatics, but we
Electrostatics will discuss here only two of it, i.e.
Xerography (Photocopier)
Inkjet Printers
What are the
applications of
electrostatics?

We will explain both of these applications in detail in

two separate sections.
 Xerography (Photocopier):
Chapter # 12 It is a combination of two Greek words:
Electrostatics Xeros which means “dry” and
Graphos which means “writing” and
What is meant by Therefore, it means “dry writing”
Xerography? Def: “the copying process is called xerography”.
Name the parts of Main Parts of a Photocopying Machine:
photocopying Following are the parts of a photocopying machine
machine.
Lamp
Lens
Drum
Blank pages
Toner
Heated roller
 Principle of a Photocopier:
Chapter # 12 “the unlike charges attract each other”.
Electrostatics Working of a Photocopier:
The heart of the machine is a drum which is an
On which principle aluminum cylinder coated with a layer of selenium.
photocopier work? Aluminum is a conductor whereas selenium on the
Explain function of other hand is a photoconductor.
each part of a Photoconductor: a metal which behaves like an
copier individually. insulator in the dark and becomes conductor when
exposed to light. (most semiconducting material)
Examples: Ge, Si, lead sulfide, conductive polymer.
 Photoconductor:
Chapter # 12 As a result, if a positive charge is sprinkled over a
Electrostatics photoconductor (like selenium),
it remains there as long as the drum (selenium)
Function of each is in the dark.
part of a Photocopy When the drum is exposed to light,
machine: the electrons from the ‘aluminum’ pass through
the conducting selenium and neutralize the
positive charge…!!!
 Photoconductor:
Chapter # 12 If the drum is exposed to an image of a document
Electrostatics to be copied,
the dark and light areas of the document produce
Function of each corresponding area on the drum.
part of a Photocopy the dark areas retain their positive charge, but
machine: light areas become conducting, lose their positive
charge and become neutral…!!!
 Photoconductor:
Chapter # 12 So in this way, a “positive charge image” of the
Electrostatics document remains on the surface of selenium.
Toner: A special “dry, black powder” is called “toner”.
Function of each This powder is given a negative charge and is
part of a Photocopy attracted towards the surface of the drum.
machine: This powder sticks to the positive charged image of
the document on the surface of selenium.
 Heated Rollers:
Chapter # 12 The toner from the drum is transferred on the
Electrostatics sheet of paper on which the document is to be
copied.
Function of each Heated pressure rollers then melt the toner into
part of a Photocopy the “positively charged paper”. (corona wires)
machine: The page was given a positive charge to produce a
permanent impression of the document.
 Corona Wires
Chapter # 12 For a photocopier to work;
Electrostatics A field of positive charge must be generated on the
surface of the drum and the paper on which we have
What are Corona to copy.
Wires? This is done by wire
subjected to high voltage
called “Corona Wires”.
One of the wires is
stretched parallel to the
drum surface that charges
the photo conductive
surface with positive ions,
The other wire charges
the copy paper positively.
 Xerography means the copying process (dry writing).
Chapter # 12 The heart of a photocopier machine is called “drum”
Electrostatics which is made up of aluminum (conductor) and
layered by selenium (photoconductor).
The semiconductors which behave as insulators in
dark & conductor in light are called photoconductors.
Toner is a special dry, black colored powder which
Summary have negative charge on it.
The toner from the drum is transferred on the sheet
of paper on which the document is to be copied.
Heated pressure rollers then melt the toner into the
paper.
The page was given a positive charge to produce a
permanent impression of the document by using a set
of corona wires.