An image forming apparatus including developing unit to develop electrostatic latent image with toner to form visible image, and cleaning unit including elastic member including surface layer and configured to remove the toner, wherein Martens hardness A and Martens hardness B of the surface layer measured by applying load of 1 N and load of 1,000 N, respectively, to position of the surface layer in thickness direction thereof using nanoindenter are both 2.5 N/mm.sup.2 or greater but 32.5 N/mm.sup.2 or less, and Martens hardness A and Martens hardness B satisfy inequality,

Martens hardness A>Martens hardness B

wherein coefficient of dynamic friction of the surface layer against polycarbonate is 0.5 or less, and the toner includes polyester resin insoluble to THF and Tg of THF-insoluble component of the toner determined from DSC curve of first heating of DSC is 60 C. or higher but 20 C. or lower.

Provided are an electrophotographic apparatus and a process cartridge each capable of suppressing the occurrence of a black spot (white background contamination) in an output image under a low-temperature and low-humidity environment. The electrophotographic apparatus includes: an electrophotographic photosensitive member including a support, a photosensitive layer, and a protective layer in the stated order; an exposing device; a developing device; and a cleaning device, wherein the protective layer has a triarylamine structure and a specific structure at a ratio in a specific range, and a toner contains toner particles each containing at least a resin, and an external additive. The toner has a volume-average particle diameter of 7 m or more. The external additive contains a compound containing a titanium atom. The ratio of the mass of the compound containing a titanium atom to the total mass of the toner is 0.6 mass % or more.

Provided is an electrophotographic photosensitive member that suppresses image smearing at the time of its repeated use, and expresses satisfactory wear resistance and electric characteristics. The electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a support and a photosensitive layer in the stated order, wherein a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a copolymer of a hole-transportable compound having a chain-polymerizable functional group and a specific compound having maleimide groups.

Provided are an electrophotographic photosensitive member including a support and a photosensitive layer above the support, in which a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a polymerization product of a composition containing a specific hole transporting compound, and an electrophotographic apparatus and a process cartridge including the electrophotographic photosensitive member. Also provided is a method of producing the electrophotographic photosensitive member, including (i) forming a coating film of a coating solution for a surface layer which is a composition containing a specific hole transporting compound, and (ii) forming the surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member by a polymerization reaction of the composition containing the specific hole transporting compound.

A charge transport molecule contains four radical polymerizable functional groups of the general structure exemplified below: ##STR00001##
where R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 contain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable functional group, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are hydrogen atoms, and R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 contain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable functional group wherein the spacer group of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 is an ethyl group and the radical polymerizable functional group of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 is an acrylate group.

An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a support, a photosensitive layer, and a protection layer. The protection layer contains a copolymer of a compound having a specific frame and a hole-transporting compound containing a specific polarizable functional group.

The present disclosure provides an electrophotographic photosensitive member that suppresses electric potential fluctuations in repeated use. The electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a support, a photosensitive layer and a protective layer, in this order, wherein the photosensitive layer includes a compound having a structure represented by formula (1), and the protective layer includes a resin having a structure represented by formula (2) and a structure represented by formula (3).

Provided is a process cartridge including: an electrophotographic photoreceptor; a charging unit configured to charge the electrophotographic photoreceptor through abutment against the electrophotographic photoreceptor; a developing unit configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photoreceptor with a toner to form a toner image; and a cleaning unit configured to remove the toner on the electrophotographic photoreceptor by bringing a blade into abutment against the electrophotographic photoreceptor, wherein the toner includes a toner base containing a coloring agent and a binder resin, and has a surface layer containing an organosilicon polymer having a specific sticking ratio to a toner base, and wherein the electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a supporting member and a surface layer, and the surface layer has a specific universal hardness value and a specific elastic deformation ratio (We).

To provide an electrophotographic photosensitive member which does not cause film exfoliation in long-term use. An electrophotographic photosensitive member, having: a support; a layered photosensitive layer; and a protective layer in this order, wherein the protective layer is a single layer, the protective layer includes: at least two specific structures, the two specific structures are included in the protective layer at a mass ratio of 20% or more and 240% or less, and a peak area based on in-plane deformation vibration of terminal olefin (CH.sub.2) of the protective layer and a peak area based on stretching vibration of CO of acryloyloxy groups, the peak areas being determined by total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy under conditions where an internal reflection element is Ge, and an incidence angle is 45, have a fixed relationship.

To provide an electrophotographic photosensitive member which does not cause film exfoliation in long-term use. An electrophotographic photosensitive member, having: a support; a layered photosensitive layer; and a protective layer in this order, wherein the protective layer is a single layer, the protective layer includes: at least two specific structures, the two specific structures are included in the protective layer at a mass ratio of 20% or more and 240% or less, and a peak area based on in-plane deformation vibration of terminal olefin (CH.sub.2) of the protective layer and a peak area based on stretching vibration of CO of acryloyloxy groups, the peak areas being determined by total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy under conditions where an internal reflection element is Ge, and an incidence angle is 45, have a fixed relationship.