An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that includes a conductive substrate, and a photosensitive layer and a surface protection layer; a developing device that includes an electrostatic image developer containing a toner, and develops the electrostatic image to form a toner image. The toner contains an amorphous polyester resin and has a weight average molecular weight Mw in a range of from 25,000 to 60,000, and a ratio of the weight average molecular weight Mw to a number average molecular weight Mn (Mw/Mn) is in a range of from 5 to 10. In the toner, a ratio of an absorbance for a wavelength of 1500 cm.sup.1 to an absorbance for a wavelength of 720 cm.sup.1 is 0.6 or less, and a ratio of an absorbance for a wavelength of 820 cm.sup.1 to the absorbance for a wavelength of 720 cm.sup.1 is 0.4 or less.

An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a support and a surface layer, in which the surface layer contains a copolymer of a composition which contains at least a compound represented by the following general formula (1) and a compound represented by the following general formula (2), a content of the compound represented by the general formula (1) in the composition is 25 mass % or more and 70 mass % or less with respect to a total content of the compound represented by the general formula (1) and the compound represented by the general formula (2), and the total content of the compound represented by the general formula (1) and the compound represented by the general formula (2) is 55 mass % or more with respect to a total mass of the composition.

An electrophotographic photosensitive member suppressing potential variation due to repeated use is provided. The electrophotographic photosensitive member is an electrophotographic photosensitive member including a support, a photosensitive layer and a protective layer in this order, wherein the protective layer contains: a resin including a structure represented by a general formula (1) and a structure represented by a general formula (2); and a compound represented by a general formula (3), the molar ratio of the proportion of the structure represented by the general formula (2) to the proportion of the structure represented by the general formula (1) in the resin is 0.0002 to 0.1000 in a molar ratio, and the molar ratio of the content of the compound represented by the general formula (3) to the content of the structure represented by the general formula (1) in the resin in the protective layer is 0.0002 to 0.1000 in a molar ratio.

Provided is a process cartridge including: an electrophotographic photoreceptor; a charging unit configured to charge the electrophotographic photoreceptor through abutment against the electrophotographic photoreceptor; a developing unit configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photoreceptor with a toner to form a toner image; and a cleaning unit configured to remove the toner on the electrophotographic photoreceptor by bringing a blade into abutment against the electrophotographic photoreceptor, wherein the toner includes a toner base containing a coloring agent and a binder resin, and has a surface layer containing an organosilicon polymer having a specific sticking ratio to a toner base, and wherein the electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a supporting member and a surface layer, and the surface layer has a specific universal hardness value and a specific elastic deformation ratio (We).

Provided is an electrophotographic photosensitive member that is reduced in exposure memory and is excellent in electrical characteristics and durability. The electrophotographic photosensitive member includes in this order: a support; a photosensitive layer; and a protective layer, wherein the protective layer contains a resin having a structure represented by the following general formula (1) and a structure represented by the following general formula (2).

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Provided is an image forming apparatus capable of forming a high quality electrophotographic image. The image forming apparatus includes toner in which an organosilicon polymer is stuck to a toner base at a predetermined sticking ratio, an electrophotographic photoreceptor having a surface layer having a predetermined hardness and a predetermined elastic deformation ratio, and an intermediate transfer body having a surface having a predetermined hardness, and also includes a unit that provides a circumferential velocity difference between the electrophotographic photoreceptor and the intermediate transfer body.

A surface layer of an electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a cured product of a composition containing a hole transport compound having an acryloyloxy group or a methacryloyloxy group, and a compound having a specific structure.

A coating film of a coating liquid for a surface layer, the coating liquid containing a hole transporting compound having a chain-polymerizable functional group and a compound having a specified structure, is cured to thereby form a surface layer of an electrophotographic photosensitive member.

Provided is an electrophotographic photosensitive member, including: a support; a charge-generating layer on the support; a charge-transporting layer on the charge-generating layer; and a protective layer on the charge-transporting layer, wherein the protective layer contains the following components (), (), and (): () a polymer of a hole-transportable compound; () a polycarbonate resin; and () a hole-transportable compound, wherein a content of the component () in the protective layer is 0.01 mass % or more and 4.0 mass % or less with respect to a content of the component () in the protective layer, wherein a content of the component () in the protective layer is 0.001 mass % or more and 3.0 mass % or less with respect to the content of the component () in the protective layer, and wherein the charge-transporting layer contains the component ().

A surface layer of an electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a cured product of a composition containing a hole transport compound having an acryloyloxy group or a methacryloyloxy group, and a compound having a specific structure.