An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes an image bearer and a cleaning blade configured to remove toner particles remaining on the image bearer. The cleaning blade includes an elastic member in contact with a surface of the image bearer to remove the toner particles. The elastic member has a Martens hardness of from 3 to 8 N/mm.sup.2 when measured by a nanoindentation method with a load of 1 μN. The toner particles comprise toner base particles and an external additive, and the external additive comprise silica particles. A liberation ratio (Xs) of the silica particles liberated from the toner particles is from 40% to 75% when measured by an ultrasonic vibration method. A proportion (R70) of the silica particles having a volume-based particle diameter of 70 nm or more in the silica particles liberated from the toner particles is from 70% to 90% by number.

A two-component developer 100 includes a carrier 200 and a toner 300. The carrier 200 satisfies the relationships 100≤α≤220 and 300≤β≤480 when a voltage is applied in 1 V steps by a bridge resistance measurement method, where α (V) is a carrier voltage value obtained when a current value flowing through the carrier 200 reaches 1.0.sup.−7 (A), and β (V) is a carrier voltage value obtained when the current value reaches 1.0.sup.−5 (A).

A two-component developer 100 includes a carrier 200 and a toner 300. The carrier 200 satisfies the relationships 100≤α≤220 and 300≤β≤480 when a voltage is applied in 1 V steps by a bridge resistance measurement method, where α (V) is a carrier voltage value obtained when a current value flowing through the carrier 200 reaches 1.0.sup.−7 (A), and β (V) is a carrier voltage value obtained when the current value reaches 1.0.sup.−5 (A).

A carrier can be used for forming an electrophotographic image. The carrier contains a core particle and a coating layer coating the core particle. The coating layer contains a chargeable particle. The carder has an internal void ratio of 0.0% or greater but less than 2.0%, and an apparent density of 2.0 g/cm.sup.3 or greater but less than 2.5 g/cm.sup.3.

A two-component developer 100 includes a carrier 200 and a toner 300. The carrier 200 satisfies the relationships 100≤α≤220 and 300≤β≤480 when a voltage is applied in 1 V steps by a bridge resistance measurement method, where α (V) is a carrier voltage value obtained when a current value flowing through the carrier 200 reaches 1.0.sup.−7 (A), and β (V) is a carrier voltage value obtained when the current value reaches 1.0.sup.−5 (A).

An imaging system includes a storage container, a separating device and a restoring device. The storage container stores a developer including carrier and toner having restoring properties. The separating device separates the developer in the storage container into the carrier and the toner. The restoring device restores properties of the carrier and the toner generated by the separating device.

An imaging system includes a storage container, a separating device and a restoring device. The storage container stores a developer including carrier and toner having restoring properties. The separating device separates the developer in the storage container into the carrier and the toner. The restoring device restores properties of the carrier and the toner generated by the separating device.

A toner comprising: a toner particle; and an external additive, wherein the external additive includes spherical silica particles and hydrotalcite particles, a number average particle diameter Da of the spherical silica particles is from 10 nm to 40 nm, a circularity of the spherical silica particles is at least 0.80, and the toner satisfies formula (1) below:
{Ga×(1−Ka/100)}/{Gb×(1−Kb/100)}≥0.050  (1)
wherein Ga: a content of the spherical silica particles with respect to 100 parts by mass of the toner particle; Gb: a content of the hydrotalcite particles with respect to 100 parts by mass of the toner particle; Ka: a fixing ratio (%) of the spherical silica particles on a surface of the toner particle; and Kb: a fixing ratio (%) of the hydrotalcite particles on the surface of the toner particle.

A toner comprising: a toner particle; and an external additive, wherein the external additive includes spherical silica particles and hydrotalcite particles, a number average particle diameter Da of the spherical silica particles is from 10 nm to 40 nm, a circularity of the spherical silica particles is at least 0.80, and the toner satisfies formula (1) below:
{Ga×(1−Ka/100)}/{Gb×(1−Kb/100)}≥0.050  (1)
wherein Ga: a content of the spherical silica particles with respect to 100 parts by mass of the toner particle; Gb: a content of the hydrotalcite particles with respect to 100 parts by mass of the toner particle; Ka: a fixing ratio (%) of the spherical silica particles on a surface of the toner particle; and Kb: a fixing ratio (%) of the hydrotalcite particles on the surface of the toner particle.

An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes an image bearer and a cleaning blade configured to remove toner particles remaining on the image bearer. The cleaning blade includes an elastic member in contact with a surface of the image bearer to remove the toner particles. The elastic member has a Martens hardness of from 3 to 8 N/mm.sup.2 when measured by a nanoindentation method with a load of 1 μN. The toner particles comprise toner base particles and an external additive, and the external additive comprise silica particles. A liberation ratio (Xs) of the silica particles liberated from the toner particles is from 40% to 75% when measured by an ultrasonic vibration method. A proportion (R70) of the silica particles having a volume-based particle diameter of 70 nm or more in the silica particles liberated from the toner particles is from 70% to 90% by number.