An image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording medium using first to fourth toners, and includes an intermediate transfer target; a primary transfer unit that transfers a first toner image, a second toner image, a third toner image, and a fourth toner image to the intermediate transfer target in stated order; and a secondary transfer unit that collectively transfers the first to fourth toner images onto the recording medium. The first toner image, the second toner image, the third toner image, and the fourth toner image include the first toner, the second toner, the third toner, and the fourth toner, respectively. The first to fourth toners each include toner particles. The toner particles each include a toner mother particle and an external additive attached to the surface of the toner mother particle. The external additive includes fluororesin particles and silica particles.

An intermediary transfer belt having surface resistivity ρs of 1×10.sup.9 Ω/square or more and volume resistivity ρv of 1×10.sup.12 Ω.Math.cm or less includes a thermoplastic resin material containing carbon black. The carbon black contained in the thermoplastic resin material has a weight ratio of 22.5-28.5 weight % and include first carbon black and second carbon black. The first carbon black of the carbon black contained in the thermoplastic resin material has a weight ratio of 50-90 weight % and dibutyl phthalate absorption of 93-127 ml/100 g, and the second carbon black of the carbon black contained in the thermoplastic resin material has a weight ratio of 10-50 weight % and dibutyl phthalate absorption of 36-79 ml/100 g.

An electroconductive elastic body includes: a cross-linked product of a first ionic electro-conductive rubber, a cross-linked product of a second ionic electro-conductive rubber, and at least one of a fatty acid and a fatty acid metal salt; wherein the electroconductive elastic body has a matrix that includes the cross-linked product of the first ionic electro-conductive rubber, and a domain that includes the cross-linked product of the second ionic electro-conductive rubber; the cross-linked product of the second ionic electro-conductive rubber includes a polyether skeleton; an electrical resistance of the domain is lower than an electrical resistance of the matrix; in a waveform separation profile of the elastic body as obtained by a small-angle X-ray scattering method, A2 and A1 satisfy a relationship expressed by the following expression (1):
0.005≤(A2×C2/A1×C1)≤0.030  (1).

A transfer unit includes first and second rollers, a roller switching mechanism, and upstream-side and downstream-side guides. The second roller is arranged downstream of the first roller in the conveyance direction of the recording medium. The roller switching mechanism selectively arranges the first or second roller at a reference position to form a transfer nip. The upstream-side and downstream-side guides are respectively arranged upstream and downstream of the transfer nip in the conveyance direction of the recording member. When the first roller moves to the reference position by the roller switching mechanism, the second roller moves to a first retracted position behind the downstream-side guide, and when the second roller moves to the reference position by the roller switching mechanism, the first roller moves to a second retracted position behind the upstream-side guide.

A transfer belt includes: an elastic layer, wherein the transfer belt is used to transfer a toner image onto a recording medium, the toner image being carried on a first main surface which is one of a pair of main exposed surfaces including the first main surface and a second main surface, when, using a lower block and an upper block, the transfer belt is placed on an upper surface of the lower block, a part of the transfer belt is interposed between a curved convex surface and a curved concave surface, and a pressed region reaches a pressing force of 200 [kPa] and is constantly pressed by the pressing force, if “a” represents a maximum value of displacement of a measurement region, and “b” represents displacement of the measurement region after convergence, E [−] calculated by (a−b)/b satisfies a condition of 0.2≦E≦3.

A transfer belt is configured to transfer a toner image carried on a first main surface of the transfer belt to a recording medium. When the transfer belt is pressed with pressure application three increased at a predetermined pressure application rate and is then pressed with certain pressure application force by using a lower block provided with a hole and an upper block, k2[μm/s] satisfies 6≦k2≦30, k2[μm/s] being determined by (a−b)/{2×(t2−t1)}, where a [μm/s] represents a maximum value of a displacement amount of a measurement region that is a portion of the first main surface corresponding to the hole, b [μm] represents a convergence value thereof, t1 [s] represents a time when the maximum value is observed, and t2 [s] represents a time when the displacement amount reaches (a+b)/2 again after the maximum value is observed.

There are disclosed methods for producing curable elastomeric compositions comprising carbon black particles, as well as their corresponding cured products. Such compositions, once cured, can be used for the preparation of numerous articles of wide industrial applicability.

An intermediate transfer medium according to the present disclosure includes a substrate and a transfer layer including at least a receiving layer, in which a logarithmic damping ratio ΔE determined by subjecting the receiving layer to rigid-body pendulum measurement at 70° C. is 0.10 or more.

An image-forming apparatus includes a rotatable developer-bearing member to bear a developer composed of a toner particle and a transfer promoting particle attached to the toner particle. When F denotes pressing force for pressing the developer-bearing member against an image-bearing member, and N denotes a total number of the transfer promoting particles interposed between the toner particle and the image-bearing member, adhesion strength Ft between the transfer promoting particle and the toner particle measured by pressing the transfer promoting particle against the toner particle at a pressing force per unit transfer promoting particle F/N and adhesion strength Fdr between the transfer promoting particle and the image-bearing member measured by pressing the transfer promoting particle against the image-bearing member at the pressing force per unit transfer promoting particle F/N, satisfy Ft<Fdr. Electrical discharge is generated upstream of a transfer portion in a movement direction of an intermediate transfer belt.

A conductive member includes: a conductive base material; and a silica glass layer disposed on an outermost surface on an outer peripheral surface of the conductive base material.