An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a charging member, an exposing device, a developing device, a transfer member, and a rubbing member. The image bearing member includes a plurality of recess portions on a surface thereof The rubbing member is configured to come into contact with the image bearing member to form a rubbing nip portion between the rubbing member and the image bearing member. The recess portions each have an opening portion whose maximum length in the rotational direction is 20 m to 120 m. When a linear speed of the image bearing member in the rubbing nip portion is S1 and a linear speed of the rubbing member in the same direction as the linear speed of the image bearing member in the rubbing nip portion is S2, a relationship of a linear speed ratio of S2/S1<1.0 is satisfied.

A method to make an improved organic photoconductor drum of an electrophotographic image forming device is provided. The improved organic photoconductor drum is prepared using a curable composition including a charge transport molecule containing four radical polymerizable functional groups containing an oxygen atom of the general structure shown below:

##STR00001##

wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 contain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable hydrophilic functional group containing an oxygen atom, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are a non-radical polymerizable functional group, and R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 contain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable hydrophilic functional group containing an oxygen atom. The curable composition may also contain at least one optional curing agent.

An improved overcoat layer for an organic photoconductor drum used in an electrophotographic image forming device is provided. The overcoat layer is prepared from a curable composition including a charge transport molecule containing four radical polymerizable hydrophilic functional groups containing an oxygen atom of the general structure shown below:

##STR00001##

wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 contain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable hydrophilic functional group containing an oxygen atom, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are a non-radical polymerizable functional group, and R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 contain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable hydrophilic functional group containing an oxygen atom. The curable composition may also contain at least one optional curing agent. This overcoat layer improves wear resistance of the organic photoconductor drum without negatively altering the electrophotographic properties, thus protecting the organic photoconductor drum from damage and extending its service life.

An improved organic photoconductor drum used in an electrophotographic image forming device and method to make the same is provided. The organic photoconductor drum contains a protective overcoat. The protective overcoat is prepared from a curable composition including a charge transport molecule containing four radical polymerizable hydrophilic functional groups containing an oxygen atom of the general structure shown below:

##STR00001##

where R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 contain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable hydrophilic functional group containing an oxygen atom, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are a non-radical polymerizable functional group, and R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 contain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable hydrophilic functional group containing an oxygen atom. The curable composition may also contain at least one curing agent. This organic photoconductor drum has excellent wear resistance without negatively altering the electrophotographic properties, thus protecting the organic photoconductor drum from damage and extending its service life.

Provided is an electrographic photoconductor resistant to surface discharge and having good wear resistance. The electrographic photoconductor has a conductive support and a photosensitive layer disposed on the conductive support, the photosensitive layer containing a charge generation material and a charge transport material. A layer forming the surface of the electrographic photoconductor contains a resin binder forming the layer and a layered carbide dispersed in the resin binder. The layer forming the surface has a light transmittance in the range of 20 to 98% at a wavelength of 350 to 800 nm.

Provided is an electrophotographic photoreceptor including a conductive support, a photosensitive layer, and a surface protective layer disposed in sequence. The surface protective layer includes a cured product of a composition containing a polymerizable compound, a charge transporting material, and at least two polymerization initiators. The polymerization initiators include an acyl phosphine oxide and an O-acyl oxime.

To provide an electrophotographic photosensitive member being excellent in abrasion resistance and having good electrical characteristics. The surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a copolymerized product of a hole transporting compound having a specified structure and a compound having a specified structure.

A method to make an improved organic photoconductor drum of an electrophotographic image forming device is provided. The improved organic photoconductor drum is prepared using a curable composition including a charge transport molecule containing 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 selected from the group consisting of a radical polymerizable functional group, a non-radical polymerizable functional group, and one each of a radical polymerizable functional group and a non-radial polymerizable functional group, and R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 contain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable functional group.

An electrophotographic photoconductor (photoconductor) according to the embodiment includes a conductive support, a photosensitive layer, and a protective layer. The protective layer is composed of a cured product as one body obtained by a radical reaction of a composition containing a radical polymerizable monomer having a radical polymerizable functional group, a metal oxide fine particle having a radical polymerizable functional group, and camphorquinone or a derivative thereof. The photoconductor is installed in an image forming apparatus equipped with a cleaning device for removing transfer residual toner on the photoconductor, and the cleaning device includes an elastic cleaning member disposed so that it can come into contact with the surface of the photoconductor.

A method to make an improved organic photoconductor drum of an electrophotographic image forming device is provided. The improved organic photoconductor drum is prepared using a curable composition including a charge transport molecule containing 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 selected from the group consisting of a radical polymerizable functional group, a non-radical polymerizable functional group, and one each of a radical polymerizable functional group and a non-radial polymerizable functional group, and R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 contain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable functional group.