Two-stage milling process for preparing cocrystals of titanyl fluorophthalocyanine and titanyl phthalocyanine, and electrophotographic element containing same

Abstract

An amorphous mixture consisting essentially of TiOFPc and TiOPc and containing more than 75 weight percent of substantially chlorine-free TiOPc is produced by forming a mixture of crude crystalline TiOFPc and crude crystalline, substantially chlorine-free TiOPc that contains less than 80 weight percent TiOPc, treating the mixture under conditions effective to form a substantially amorphous mixture of TiOFPc and TiOPc containing less than 75 weight percent TiOPc, which is then treated with water, and dried. A further amount of crude crystalline, substantially chlorine-free TiOPc sufficient to form a new mixture containing more than 75 weight percent of substantially chlorine-free TiOPc is added, and the new mixture is converted to a substantially amorphous mixture of TiOFPc and TiOPc. A nanoparticulate cocrystalline composition is obtained by forming a slurry in an organic solvent of the dried substantially amorphous mixture, and wet milling the slurry to form the cocrystalline composition.