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.

Provided are an electrophotographic photosensitive member including a support and a photosensitive layer above the support, in which a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a polymerization product of a composition containing a specific hole transporting compound, and an electrophotographic apparatus and a process cartridge including the electrophotographic photosensitive member. Also provided is a method of producing the electrophotographic photosensitive member, including (i) forming a coating film of a coating solution for a surface layer which is a composition containing a specific hole transporting compound, and (ii) forming the surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member by a polymerization reaction of the composition containing the specific hole transporting compound.

A charge transport molecule contains 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 hydrogen atoms, and R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 contain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable functional group wherein the spacer group of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 is an ethyl group and the radical polymerizable functional group of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 is an acrylate group.

To provide an electrophotographic photosensitive member which does not cause film exfoliation in long-term use. An electrophotographic photosensitive member, having: a support; a layered photosensitive layer; and a protective layer in this order, wherein the protective layer is a single layer, the protective layer includes: at least two specific structures, the two specific structures are included in the protective layer at a mass ratio of 20% or more and 240% or less, and a peak area based on in-plane deformation vibration of terminal olefin (CH.sub.2) of the protective layer and a peak area based on stretching vibration of CO of acryloyloxy groups, the peak areas being determined by total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy under conditions where an internal reflection element is Ge, and an incidence angle is 45, have a fixed relationship.

An overcoat layer for an organic photoconductor drum includes a curable composition having about 20 to about 80 percent by weight of a charge transport molecule containing four radical polymerizable functional groups as 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 hydrogen atoms, and R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 contain a spacer group and a radical polymerizable functional group. The curable composition may also include a non-radical polymerizable additive, such as a surfactant, and/or a 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 electrophotographic photoreceptor includes an outermost layer formed of a polymerized cured product of a composition containing a polymerizable monomer and metal oxide particles surface-treated with a surface treatment agent having a silicone chain, wherein a ratio (r/r) between a number average primary particle diameter (r) of metal oxide particles which are untreated base particles of the metal oxide particles surface-treated with the surface treatment agent having a silicone chain and a sphere equivalent particle diameter (r) of the untreated base particles calculated from a specific surface area measured by a nitrogen adsorption method is 1.5 or more and 6.0 or less, and a surface treatment amount with the surface treatment agent having a silicone chain per surface area of the untreated base particles is 0.0005 g/m.sup.2 or more and 0.0015 g/m.sup.2 or less.

An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes an outermost layer formed of a polymerized cured product of a composition containing a polymerizable monomer and metal oxide particles surface-treated with a surface treatment agent having a silicone chain, wherein a ratio (r/r) between a number average primary particle diameter (r) of metal oxide particles which are untreated base particles of the metal oxide particles surface-treated with the surface treatment agent having a silicone chain and a sphere equivalent particle diameter (r) of the untreated base particles calculated from a specific surface area measured by a nitrogen adsorption method is 1.5 or more and 6.0 or less, and a surface treatment amount with the surface treatment agent having a silicone chain per surface area of the untreated base particles is 0.0005 g/m.sup.2 or more and 0.0015 g/m.sup.2 or less.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image bearing member for electrophotography. The image bearing member has high mechanical properties which include abrasion resistance and scratch resistance, is excellent in toner releasability, and is capable of retaining these features. The present invention provides an image bearing member for electrophotography, which includes a surface layer, the surface layer being composed of a polymerization-cured product of a composition containing a polymerizable monomer and surface-treated metal oxide particles, and the surface-treated metal oxide particles are metal oxide particles surface-treated with a surface treating agent having a silicone side chain.

Provided are an electrophotographic photosensitive member including a support and a photosensitive layer above the support, in which a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a polymerization product of a composition containing a specific hole transporting compound, and an electrophotographic apparatus and a process cartridge including the electrophotographic photosensitive member. Also provided is a method of producing the electrophotographic photosensitive member, including (i) forming a coating film of a coating solution for a surface layer which is a composition containing a specific hole transporting compound, and (ii) forming the surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member by a polymerization reaction of the composition containing the specific hole transporting compound.