ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE SURFACE RELEASE POLYMERS

A polymeric material which is both electrically conductive, possesses surface release properties and can be formed into high-gloss, visually transparent coatings; is polymerized from a liquid mixture of three free radical, addition polymerizable materials by radiation induced polymerization. The liquid mixture contains: 1 to 80 weight parts of an ethylenically unsaturated, quaternary ammonium precursor; 0.1 to 10 weight parts of an ethylenically unsaturated, organo-silicone precursor; and, 5 to 95 weight parts of a multifunctional precursor containing at least two ethylenically unsaturated groups, which is a multifunctional monomeric material, an oligomeric material or a combination thereof. Optionally, the liquid mixture may contain up to 60 weight parts of an ethylenically unsaturated acidic precursor and up to 50 weight parts of one other monofunctional precursor containing one ethylenically unsaturated group. By adjusting concentrations of the three polymerizable components, surface conductivity can be varied over a wide range from an electrical resistance of 105 ohm/ &squ& to 1012 ohm/ &squ& , without adversely affecting surface release characteristics. Such tailored co-polymers may be used as coatings, fibers or other solid shapes and are useful as electrically conductive release coatings in electrographic and electrostatic imaging materials; and as antistatic coatings for sheet or fiber products which further require protective surface release for easy removal of laminate components, markings, stains, dirt and the like.