An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive substrate, an organic photosensitive layer on the conductive substrate, and an inorganic protective layer on the organic photosensitive layer. A layer that constitutes a surface of the organic photosensitive layer contains a charge transport material, a binder resin, silica particles, and a silicone compound.

An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer to bear a toner image, a nip forming member contacting the image bearer to form a transfer nip, and a transfer power source. The transfer bias has a transfer peak value to electrostatically move toner from the image bearer to the recording sheet and an opposite-peak value to electrostatically move less toner from the image bearer to the recording sheet than the transfer peak value. An opposite-peak duty of the transfer bias is less than 50%. The opposite-peak duty is tr/T×100% where T is one cycle of the transfer bias and tr is a time period during which the transfer bias is on a side of the opposite-peak value relative to an offset voltage of the transfer bias in the one cycle T.

An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes: a conductive holder; and at least a charge producing layer and a charge transport layer disposed on the conductive holder in order. The charge transport layer contains at least a binder resin, a charge transport agent and a p-type metal oxide particle.

An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes: a conductive holder; and at least a charge producing layer and a charge transport layer disposed on the conductive holder in order. The charge transport layer contains at least a binder resin, a charge transport agent and a p-type metal oxide particle.

Provided is an electrophotographic apparatus, including an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging unit arranged in a non-abutment manner with respect to the electrophotographic photosensitive member, a cleaning unit or a developing unit arranged in abutment against the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a transferring unit.

An electrophotographic photosensitive member, a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus wherein a streak-like image defect otherwise occurring in output in a low printing mode performed under a H/H environment can be reduced are provided. A surface of the photosensitive member has a convex and concave portions continuously in a peripheral direction of the photosensitive member, and alternately in an axial direction of the photosensitive member, a width w of the concave portion is 30 to 100 μm, a depth d of the concave portion is 1 to 5 μm, the convex portion has a rising slope and a descending slope in the peripheral direction of the photosensitive member, and a distance from a starting point of the rising slope to an end point of the descending slope and a distance from a starting point of the descending slope to an end point of the rising slope are 300 μm or less.

An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive substrate and a photosensitive layer, wherein an outermost layer contains a compound having a structure represented by general formula (I) below:

##STR00001## where R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each independently represent a C.sub.1-12 alkyl group or a C.sub.5-12 cycloalkyl group; R.sub.3 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.1-6 alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.1-6 alkoxyl group, a C.sub.6-20 aryl group or a heterocycle group; X and Z each represent a single bond or a C.sub.1-6 alkylene group which may be substituted; and Y represents a OCO group or COO group. A method for manufacturing the photoreceptor and an electrophotographic device including the photoreceptor are additionally provided. The electrophotographic photoreceptor provides sufficient stain resistance and is less affected by temperature and humidity environments while maintaining various advantageous characteristics of photoreceptors.

An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive substrate and a photosensitive layer, wherein an outermost layer contains a compound having a structure represented by general formula (I) below:

##STR00001## where R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each independently represent a C.sub.1-12 alkyl group or a C.sub.5-12 cycloalkyl group; R.sub.3 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.1-6 alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.1-6 alkoxyl group, a C.sub.6-20 aryl group or a heterocycle group; X and Z each represent a single bond or a C.sub.1-6 alkylene group which may be substituted; and Y represents a OCO group or COO group. A method for manufacturing the photoreceptor and an electrophotographic device including the photoreceptor are additionally provided. The electrophotographic photoreceptor provides sufficient stain resistance and is less affected by temperature and humidity environments while maintaining various advantageous characteristics of photoreceptors.

A photoconductor including: a conductive support; an undercoat layer; and a photoconductive layer, the undercoat layer being disposed over the conductive support, the photoconductive layer being disposed over the undercoat layer, wherein the undercoat layer includes zinc oxide particles, wherein when a film thickness of the undercoat layer is 20 μm, the undercoat layer has transmittance of 50% or more to light having a wavelength in a range of 500 nm or more but 800 nm or less, wherein a lowest transmittance of light is 85% or less in the range, and wherein when an electric field of 5 V/μm is applied to the undercoat layer, volume resistivity of the undercoat layer is 1.0×10.sup.7 Ω.Math.cm or more but 5.0×10.sup.8 Ω.Math.cm or less at an environment of 23° C. and 55% RH.

An image forming apparatus includes an image holding member including a conductive substrate, a photosensitive layer, and a protection layer; a charging unit; an electrostatic image forming unit; a developing unit that includes an electrostatic image developer having a toner and develops the electrostatic image to form a toner image; a transfer unit that transfers the toner image onto a surface of a recording medium; a fixing unit that fixes the toner image; and a cleaning unit that includes a cleaning blade. The toner includes toner particles and silica particles having a number average particle size of 110 nm to 130 nm, a large-diameter-side number particle size distribution index (upper GSDp) of less than 1.080, and an average circularity of 0.94 to 0.98, wherein 80 number % or more of the silica particles have a circularity of 0.92 or more.