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A process for producing a toner by subjecting a polymer and a resin component containing a cross-linkable polymer capable of cross-linkingly reacting with the polymer, to cross-linking reaction in the presence of a first wax to form a wax-containing cross-linked polymer composition; mixing the wax-containing cross-linked polymer composition with at least a colorant and a second wax, followed by melt-kneading to form a toner composition; and pulverizing the toner composition to produce toner particles. Also disclosed is a toner produced by this process. The toner thus obtained is a toner whose fixing performance and anti-offset properties are well balanced and also which makes it possible to afford images having less fog and high quality, over a long period of time in environments of from low temperature and low humidity to high temperature and high humidity, and is highly durable without causing any contamination of members with which the toner comes into contact.

A toner is principally constituted by a binder resin, a colorant and a hydrocarbon wax. The hydrocarbon wax has a hydroxyl value (Hv) of 5-150 mgKOH/g and an ester value (Ev) of 1-50 mgKOH/g satisfying Hv>Ev. Further, the toner has a tetrahydrofuran-soluble content providing a gel-permeation chromatogram showing at least one peak in a molecular weight region of 3.times.10.sup.3 to 5.times.10.sup.4 and at least one peak or shoulder in a molecular weight region of 1.times.10.sup.5 to 1.times.10.sup.7.

An electrophotographic toner composition suitable for heat-fixation and showing good storage characteristics is constituted by polymer components, a colorant and a metal-containing organic compound. The toner composition shows a melt index (at 125.degree. C., 10 kg-load) of 5-25 g/10 min., and the polymer components are characterized by (a) containing substantially no THF (tetrahydrofuran)-insoluble content, (b) including a THF-soluble content thereof providing a GPC (gel permeation chromatography) chromatogram showing i) a main peak in a molecular weight region of 2.times.10.sup.3 -3.times.10.sup.4, and a sub-peak or shoulder in a molecular weight region of at least 10.sup.5, and ii) an areal percentage of 3-10% in a molecular weight region of at least 10.sup.6, and (c) including a polymer component (H) in a molecular weight region of at least 10.sup.5 obtained by polymerization using a polyfunctional polymerization initiator and a monofunctional polymerization initiator.

A magnetic toner for developing an electrostatic image has magnetic toner particles containing at least a binder resin and magnetic iron oxide particles. The magnetic iron oxide particles have been surface-treated with an aliphatic alcohol having carbon atoms of from 12 to 300 on the average. The magnetic toner has a weight average particle diameter of 13.5 .mu.m or smaller, and contains magnetic toner particles with particle diameters of 3.17 .mu.m or smaller in an amount not less than 1% by number as number-based percentage determined from number distribution.

A magnetic toner includes magnetic toner particles containing at least a binder resin and a magnetic iron oxide. The magnetic iron oxide contains 0.2 to 4.0% by weight of at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of Mn, Zn, Ni, Cu, Co, Cr, Cd, Al, Sn and Mg, and 0.2 to 0.8% by weight of silicon element on the basis of an iron element; the ratio (B.sub.si /A.sub.Si).times.100 of the content B.sub.Si of the silicon element present in the magnetic iron oxide up to an iron element solubility of 20% by weight to the total content A.sub.Si of the silicon element present in the magnetic iron oxide is 45 to 85%; the ratio (C.sub.si /A.sub.Si).times.100 of the content C.sub.Si of the silicon element present in the magnetic iron oxide up to an iron element solubility of 10% by weight to the total content A.sub.Si is 35 to 70%; and the magnetic toner has a weight average particle diameter of 3.5 to 10.0 .mu.m, and contains 0 to 30% by volume of magnetic toner particles having a volume particle diameter of 12.7 .mu.m or more determined from a volume distribution.

A toner for developing electrostatic images includes a binder resin, a specific long-chain alkyl compound and a specific azo iron complex. The long-chain alkyl compound contains a terminal --OH or --COOH group and from about 35 to 150 (--CH.sub.2 --) groups. The azo iron complex has a cation including 75-98 mol. % of ammonium ion and another ion which is hydrogen, sodium, potassium or mixtures thereof.

A magnetic developer for developing electrostatic images is constituted by magnetic toner particles, each containing a binder resin having a melt viscosity of at most 5.0.times.10.sup.6 poise at 150.degree. C. and a magnetic material. The magnetic material is blended with a proportion (C) [wt. %] of inorganic fine particles based on the magnetic material to carry 0.2-5 wt. % of the inorganic fine particles secured to the magnetic material surface. The magnetic material has a specific surface area (A) [m.sup.2 /g] before securing of the inorganic fine particles and is provided with an increase in surface area (B) [m.sup.2 /g] by the securing of the inorganic fine particles; wherein the parameters A, B and C satisfy the following formulae (1) and (2): As a result, the magnetic developer is provided with an improved low-temperature fixability without causing problems accompanying the use of a low-temperature softening binder resin, such as deterioration of anti-offset characteristic, storage characteristic, developing characteristic.

A process cartridge which is detachably mountable to a main body of an image-forming apparatus has a photosensitive member, a magnetic toner-holding section provided with a magnetic toner-carrying member which transports the toner to a developing zone, and a residual magnetic toner detector capable of detecting residual toner by a change in electrostatic capacity which is caused between electrodes provided inside the magnetic toner-holding section. The magnetic toner contains at least a binder resin and a colorant, having a weight-average particle diameter of from 6.5 .mu.m to 15.0 .mu.m, and having a Carr's floodability index of more than 80.

A process for producing a toner by subjecting a polymer and a resin component containing a cross-linkable polymer capable of cross-linkingly reacting with the polymer, to cross-linking reaction in the presence of a first wax to form a wax-containing cross-linked polymer composition; mixing the wax-containing cross-linked polymer composition with at least a colorant and a second wax, followed by melt-kneading to form a toner composition; and pulverizing the toner composition to produce toner particles. Also disclosed is a toner produced by this process. The toner thus obtained is a toner whose fixing performance and anti-offset properties are well balanced and also which makes it possible to afford images having less fog and high quality, over a long period of time in environments of from low temperature and low humidity to high temperature and high humidity, and is highly durable without causing any contamination of members with which the toner comes into contact.

In a toner comprising toner particles which comprise toner base particles containing at least a binder resin and a magnetic material, and inorganic fine particles, the toner base particles have been obtained through a pulverization step; and, the toner base particles having a circle-equivalent diameter of from 3 .mu.m or more to 400 .mu.m or less as measured with a flow type particle image analyzer have an average circularity of from 0.935 or more to less than 0.970; and the toner base particles have an average surface roughness of from 5.0 nm or more to less than 35.0 nm as measured with a scanning probe microscope. The toner can enjoy less toner consumption per sheet of images, can achieve a long lifetime in a smaller quantity of toner, and has superior developing performance in any environment.