Provided an electrophotographic electro-conductive member that can stably suppress an occurrence of fogging in an electrophotographic image. The member comprises a support having an electro-conductive outer surface, and an electro-conductive layer on the outer surface of the support, the electro-conductive layer having a matrix including a cross-linked product of a first rubber, and domains dispersed in the matrix, the domains each includes a cross-linked product of a second rubber and an electro-conductive particle, at least some of the domains is exposed to the outer surface of the electro-conductive member to constitute protrusions on an outer surface of the member, the outer surface of the electro-conductive member is constituted by the matrix and the domains exposed to the outer surface of the electrophotographic electro-conductive member, the electrophotographic electro-conductive member has an impedance of 1.010.sup.3 or more and 1.010.sup.8 or less, and some of the domains satisfy two specific requirements.

An electrically conductive support for use in an electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a cylindrical main body having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end in an axial direction of the main body. The main body contains an aluminum alloy and has an internal stress in a range of 30 MPa to 5 MPa. A method of producing the electrically conductive support includes preparing a substrate containing an aluminum alloy obtained at least through an extrusion step, and heat treating the substrate to obtain the electrically conductive support. The heat treating is carried out such that, when a temperature of the heat treating is defined as T ( C.) and a time of the heat treating is defined as H (hours), an amount of the heat treating Q defined by Q=TH is 800 or less.

The invention provides an electrophotographic photoreceptor, which undergoes little abrasion over long term use and is able to develop a stable image, as well as a method of producing the same and an electrophotographic device including the same. The electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive substrate; and a photosensitive layer that contains an inorganic oxide and that is formed on the conductive substrate from a coating liquid. A test slurry containing 20% by mass of the inorganic oxide dispersed in a solvent for forming the coating liquid has a light transmittance of 40% or more in a test case where light having a wavelength of 780 nm irradiates the test slurry.

An electrophotographic photoconductor is provided. The electrophotographic photoconductor includes a conductive substrate, a photosensitive layer, and a surface layer containing fluororesin particles, non-fluororesin particles, and a cured resin. The fluororesin particles have an average particle diameter of from 0.01 to 0.3 m in a cross-sectional image of the surface layer as observed by a scanning electron microscope with a magnification of 5,000 times, and when the cross-sectional image is segmented into uniform regions each being 1 m4 m, a standard deviation of areas each of which is occupied by the fluororesin particles and the non-fluororesin particles in each of the regions is 0.2 m.sup.2 or less.

An electrophotographic photoconductor is provided. The electrophotographic photoconductor includes a conductive substrate, a photosensitive layer, and a surface layer containing fluororesin particles, non-fluororesin particles, and a cured resin. The fluororesin particles have an average particle diameter of from 0.01 to 0.3 m in a cross-sectional image of the surface layer as observed by a scanning electron microscope with a magnification of 5,000 times, and when the cross-sectional image is segmented into uniform regions each being 1 m4 m, a standard deviation of areas each of which is occupied by the fluororesin particles and the non-fluororesin particles in each of the regions is 0.2 m.sup.2 or less.

An electrically conductive support for use in an electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a cylindrical main body having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end in an axial direction of the main body. The main body contains an aluminum alloy and has an internal stress in a range of 30 MPa to 5 MPa. A method of producing the electrically conductive support includes preparing a substrate containing an aluminum alloy obtained at least through an extrusion step, and heat treating the substrate to obtain the electrically conductive support. The heat treating is carried out such that, when a temperature of the heat treating is defined as T ( C.) and a time of the heat treating is defined as H (hours), an amount of the heat treating Q defined by Q=TH is 800 or less.

Provided an electrophotographic electro-conductive member that can stably suppress an occurrence of fogging in an electrophotographic image. The member comprises a support having an electro-conductive outer surface, and an electro-conductive layer on the outer surface of the support, the electro-conductive layer having a matrix including a cross-linked product of a first rubber, and domains dispersed in the matrix, the domains each includes a cross-linked product of a second rubber and an electro-conductive particle, at least some of the domains is exposed to the outer surface of the electro-conductive member to constitute protrusions on an outer surface of the member, the outer surface of the electro-conductive member is constituted by the matrix and the domains exposed to the outer surface of the electrophotographic electro-conductive member, the electrophotographic electro-conductive member has an impedance of 1.0?10.sup.3? or more and 1.0?10.sup.8? or less, and some of the domains satisfy two specific requirements.

Provided is a positively charged electrophotographic photoconductor, a manufacturing method thereof, and an electrophotographic apparatus using the same. The positively charged electrophotographic photoconductor includes an electroconductive support and a single layer-type photosensitive layer provided thereon including a charge generation material, a hole transport material, an electron transport material, and a mixed binder resin. Alternately, the positively charged electrophotographic photoconductor includes an electroconductive support; a charge transport layer provided on the electroconductive support and containing at least a hole transport material, and a binder resin; and a charge generation layer provided on the charge transport layer and including at least a charge generation material, a hole transport material, an electron transport material, and a mixed binder resin. In either embodiment, the mixed binder resin contains at least two resins including a polycarbonate-based resin selected to provide the mixed binder resin with a water vapor permeability ranging from 5 to 13 g/m.sup.2.Math.day.

Provided is a positively charged electrophotographic photoconductor that provides a stable high-quality image in any environment, a manufacturing method thereof, and an electrophotographic apparatus using the same. The positively charged electrophotographic photoconductor includes an electroconductive support; and a single layer-type photosensitive layer provided on the electroconductive support and including a charge generation material, a hole transport material, an electron transport material and a binder resin. Alternately, the positively charged electrophotographic photoconductor includes an electroconductive support; a charge transport layer provided on the electroconductive support and containing at least a hole transport material and a binder resin; and a charge generation layer provided on the charge transport layer and including at least a charge generation material, a hole transport material, an electron transport material and a binder resin. In either embodiment, the binder resin contains a polycarbonate-based resin and has a water vapor permeability ranging from 5 to 13 g/m.sup.2.Math.day.

A photoconductor is provided. The photoconductor includes a support, an undercoat layer overlying the support, and a photosensitive layer overlying the undercoat layer. The undercoat layer includes a binder resin and a zinc oxide particle. The photosensitive layer includes a compound represented by the following formula (1): ##STR00001##
where each of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 independently represents an alkyl group or an aromatic hydrocarbon group.