A multi-layer electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a conductive substrate and a photosensitive layer. The photosensitive layer includes a charge generating layer and a charge transport layer. The charge generating layer contains a charge generating material. The charge transport layer contains a charge transport material, a binder resin, and silica particles. The charge transport layer is a monolayer. The charge transport layer is disposed as an outermost surface layer of the multi-layer electrophotographic photosensitive member. The silica particles have a content of at least 0.5 parts by mass and no greater than 15 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of the binder resin. The binder resin includes a polyarylate resin. The polyarylate resin has a repeating unit represented by general formula (I) shown below. In general formula (I), R.sub.1-R.sub.3 and Y are defined as those described in the specification. ##STR00001##

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.

An electrophotographic photoreceptor for use in an image forming apparatus having a proximity charge-type charging unit includes a conductive support and at least photosensitive layer and surface layer laminated in order on the conductive support, wherein the surface layer includes (A) a charge transport material, (B) a cured product of a composition containing a polymerizable compound and inorganic fine particles, and (C) organic fine particles, and the inorganic fine particles contain a metal oxide, has a surface treated with a surface treatment agent having a reactive organic group, and has a volume resistivity of 1.21011.Math.cm or more.

Provided are a process cartridge and an image-forming method each of which has a satisfactory cleaning property even at the initial stage of the use of a brand-new process cartridge or electrophotographic apparatus, and hence can suppress a reduction in image quality due to the contamination of a charging member. The charge transporting layer of an electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a specific polyarylate resin or polycarbonate resin, and a toner contains a specific fine particle on the surface of a toner particle.

An electrophotographic photoconductor includes a conductive support; a charge generation layer provided on the conductive support; and a charge transport layer containing a charge transport material, a binder resin, and a highly branched polymer having a long-chain alkyl group or an alicyclic group, provided on the charge generation layer as an outermost layer. The electrophotographic photoconductor has excellent contamination resistance against sebum or the like, stable electrical characteristics even upon repeated use, as well as superior transfer resistance and gas resistance. A method for producing the electrophotographic photoconductor is disclosed, as well as an electrophotographic apparatus including the electrophotographic photoconductor.

Disclosed is an electrophotographic photoreceptor including a conductive support, a photosensitive layer on the conductive support and a surface layer on the photosensitive layer. The surface layer includes a cured resin prepared by polymerization of a compound having two or more radically polymerizable functional groups per molecule, the cured resin containing an organic resin fine particle and a metal oxide fine particle, and the organic resin fine particle comprising a resin containing a structural unit derived from at least one of melamine and benzoguanamine, the organic resin fine particle having a number average primary particle size of 0.01 to 3.00 m.

An electrophotographic photoreceptor for use in an image forming apparatus having a proximity charge-type charging unit includes a conductive support and at least photosensitive layer and surface layer laminated in order on the conductive support, wherein the surface layer includes (A) a charge transport material, (B) a cured product of a composition containing a polymerizable compound and inorganic fine particles, and (C) organic fine particles, and the inorganic fine particles contain a metal oxide, has a surface treated with a surface treatment agent having a reactive organic group, and has a volume resistivity of 1.21011 .Math.cm or more.

A multi-layer electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a conductive substrate and a photosensitive layer. The photosensitive layer includes a charge generating layer and a charge transport layer. The charge generating layer contains a charge generating material. The charge transport layer contains a charge transport material, a binder resin, and silica particles. The charge transport layer is a monolayer. The charge transport layer is disposed as an outermost surface layer of the multi-layer electrophotographic photosensitive member. The silica particles have a content of at least 0.5 parts by mass and no greater than 15 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of the binder resin. The binder resin includes a polyarylate resin. The polyarylate resin has a repeating unit represented by general formula (I) shown below. In general formula (I), R.sub.1-R.sub.3 and Y are defined as those described in the specification.

##STR00001##

An electrophotographic apparatus including an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging unit that charges a surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, an exposing unit that irradiates the charged surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member with light to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a developing unit, which includes toner, and which develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member with the toner to form a toner image on the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member. The electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a monolayer type photosensitive layer containing a charge generating substance, a hole transporting substance, an electron transporting substance, and a binder resin. The photosensitive layer contains, as the binder resin, a polyarylate resin having a structural unit represented by the following formula (1) and a structural unit represented by the following formula (2).

##STR00001##

An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes: a conductive substrate; and a photosensitive layer that is disposed on the conductive substrate and has a charge generation layer and a charge transport layer. The charge transport layer contains a charge-transporting material and a polyarylate resin having a dicarboxylic acid unit represented by formula (A) and a diol unit represented by formula (B). The mass ratio of the charge-transporting material in the charge transport layer is 56 mass % or more and 70 mass % or less.

##STR00001##

In formula (A), n.sup.1 is 1, 2, or 3, n.sup.1 m.sup.1's are each independently 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4, and m.sup.1 Ra.sup.1's are each independently a C1-C10 alkyl group, a C6-C12 aryl group, or a C1-C6 alkoxy group. In formula (B), Rb.sup.1 and Rb.sup.2 are each independently a hydrogen atom, a C1-C20 alkyl group, a C6-C12 aryl group, or a C7-C20 aralkyl group, Rb.sup.3, Rb.sup.4, Rb.sup.5, Rb.sup.6, Rb.sup.7, Rb.sup.8, Rb.sup.9, and Rb.sup.10 are each independently a hydrogen atom, a C1-C10 alkyl group, a C6-C12 aryl group, a C7-C20 aralkyl group, or a C1-C6 alkoxy group, and Rb.sup.1 and Rb.sup.2 taken together optionally form a cyclic alkyl group.