Provided are a magnetic core material for electrophotographic developer and a carrier for electrophotographic developer, which are excellent in charging characteristics and strength with low specific gravity and with which a satisfactory image free of defects can be obtained, and a developer containing the carrier.

A magnetic core material for electrophotographic developer, having a sulfur component content of from 60 to 800 ppm in terms of a sulfate ion and a pore volume of from 30 to 100 mm.sup.3/g.

An image forming apparatus includes a magnetic toner, an image bearing member, and a development device. The image bearing member is an amorphous silicon photosensitive drum. The magnetic toner includes toner particles. The toner particles each include a toner mother particle containing a binder resin and a magnetic powder and alumina particles attached to a surface of the toner mother particle. The alumina particles each include a core containing alumina and a conductive layer covering the core. The conductive layer contains antimony tin oxide. The alumina particles have a number average primary particle diameter of at least 0.15 ?m and no greater than 0.50 ?m. The alumina particles have a specific resistance of no greater than 250 ?.Math.cm. The alumina particles have an X-ray intensity ratio of at least 0.25 and no greater than 0.35.

Provided is a toner containing a toner particle including a binder resin, a wax, and a colorant. The softening point of the toner is at least 80 C. and not more than 140 C. The average circularity of the toner is at least 0.940. The integrated value of stress in the toner at 150 C. which is measured by using a tackiness tester is at least 78 g.Math.m/sec.

An image forming apparatus includes a magnetic toner, an image bearing member, and a development device. The image bearing member is an amorphous silicon photosensitive drum. The magnetic toner includes toner particles. The toner particles each include a toner mother particle containing a binder resin and a magnetic powder and alumina particles attached to a surface of the toner mother particle. The alumina particles each include a core containing alumina and a conductive layer covering the core. The conductive layer contains antimony tin oxide. The alumina particles have a number average primary particle diameter of at least 0.15 ?m and no greater than 0.50 ?m. The alumina particles have a specific resistance of no greater than 250 ?.Math.cm. The alumina particles have an X-ray intensity ratio of at least 0.25 and no greater than 0.35.

Provided is a toner containing a toner particle including a binder resin, a wax, and a colorant. The softening point of the toner is at least 80 C. and not more than 140 C. The average circularity of the toner is at least 0.940. The integrated value of stress in the toner at 150 C. which is measured by using a tackiness tester is at least 78 g.Math.m/sec.

A plurality of toner particles each include a toner core, a shell layer covering a surface of the toner core, and a plurality of magnetic particles penetrating the shell layer. Each of the magnetic particles has an embedded portion and a protrusion portion. The embedded portions are embedded in the surface of the toner core. The protrusion portions are located further outward than the embedded portions in a radial direction of the toner particle and protrude outward from a surface of the shell layer in the radial direction of the toner particle. An average Heywood diameter X of the magnetic particles, a shell layer thickness Y, and an average value Z of protrusion heights of the respective magnetic particles satisfy relation (1) and relation (2) shown below.
0<Z(X/2)(1)
10 nmY50 nm(2)

Provided is a toner having a toner particle that contains a binder resin and a magnetic particle, wherein the magnetic particle satisfies the following stipulations (i) to (iii): (i) the magnetic particle has a prescribed shape and has a protruded portion on a plane portion thereof, (ii) the magnetic particle has a core particle that contains magnetite and has a coating layer, and (iii) the coating layer contains an iron-containing oxide and at least one of a silicon-containing oxide and an aluminum-containing oxide. In a molecular weight distribution measured on the tetrahydrofuran-soluble matter of the toner, the ratio (Mw/Mn) of a weight-average molecular weight to a number-average molecular weight is at least 10.0.

A plurality of toner particles each include a toner core, a shell layer covering a surface of the toner core, and a plurality of magnetic particles penetrating the shell layer. Each of the magnetic particles has an embedded portion and a protrusion portion. The embedded portions are embedded in the surface of the toner core. The protrusion portions are located further outward than the embedded portions in a radial direction of the toner particle and protrude outward from a surface of the shell layer in the radial direction of the toner particle. An average Heywood diameter X of the magnetic particles, a shell layer thickness Y, and an average value Z of protrusion heights of the respective magnetic particles satisfy relation (1) and relation (2) shown below.

0<Z(X/2)(1)

10 nmY50 nm(2)

Provided is a toner having a toner particle that contains a binder resin and a magnetic particle, wherein the magnetic particle satisfies the following stipulations (i) to (iii): (i) the magnetic particle has a prescribed shape and has a protruded portion on a plane portion thereof, (ii) the magnetic particle has a core particle that contains magnetite and has a coating layer, and (iii) the coating layer contains an iron-containing oxide and at least one of a silicon-containing oxide and an aluminum-containing oxide. In a molecular weight distribution measured on the tetrahydrofuran-soluble matter of the toner, the ratio (Mw/Mn) of a weight-average molecular weight to a number-average molecular weight is at least 10.0.

Provided is a magnetic toner which exhibits a high degree of blackness and high tinting strength, and in which scraping of a toner carrying member surface by the magnetic toner is not caused, and image defects such as fogging and tailing are suppressed. A magnetic toner comprising a magnetic toner particle that contains a binder resin and a magnetic iron oxide particle, wherein, the number-average particle diameter of the magnetic iron oxide particle ranges from 0.05 m to 0.15 m, and a relationship between the number-average particle diameter (m) of the magnetic iron oxide particle and the specific surface area (m.sup.2/g) of the magnetic iron oxide particle satisfies Expression (1) below.
[Numberaverage particle diameter][specific surface area]1.10(1).