Abstract: The present invention provides an electrophotographic photosensitive member which can output images with reduced image defects due to ghosting not only under a normal temperature and normal humidity environment but also even under a low temperature and low humidity environment as especially severe conditions, and a manufacturing method thereof; and a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus each having the electrophotographic photosensitive member. Accordingly, the electrophotographic photosensitive member of the present invention having a support and a photosensitive layer on the support includes the photosensitive layer which contains a solid solution of hydroxygallium phthalocyanine and a compound represented by the following Formula (1) or Formula (1)?, the solid solution having peaks at Bragg angles 2? of 7.4°±0.3° and 28.3°±0.3° in CuK? characteristic X-ray diffraction.

Abstract: A resin in a liquid developer contains a first resin which is a urethane-modified polyester resin resulting from increase in chain length of a component derived from a polyester resin by a compound containing an isocyanate group and a second resin. The first resin is contained by not lower than 70 mass % with respect to a total of the first resin and the second resin. The component derived from the polyester resin includes a constitutional unit derived from an acid component and a constitutional unit derived from an alcohol component. A ratio of a constitutional unit derived from an aliphatic monomer occupied in the constitutional unit derived from the acid component and the constitutional unit derived from the alcohol component is not lower than 80 mass %. Relation of 2.3?Mw/Mn?4 (10000?Mn?50000) is satisfied.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel hydroxygallium phthalocyanine crystal and an electrophotographic photosensitive member capable of outputting an image with few failures due to a ghost phenomenon not only in normal-temperature, normal-humidity environments but also even in low-temperature, low-humidity environments. The hydroxygallium phthalocyanine crystal has peaks at Bragg angles 2?±0.2° of 7.5°, 9.9°, 25.2°, and 28.3° as determined by X-ray diffraction with Cu K? radiation. The intensity of the peak at a Bragg angle 2?±0.2° of 9.9° is higher than the intensity of the peak at a Bragg angle 2?±0.2° of 7.5°.

Abstract: A hydrazone derivative of triphenylamine is represented by general formula (1). In general formula (1), R1 and R2 each represent, independently of one another, at least one chemical group selected from the group consisting of a halogen atom, an optionally substituted alkyl group having a carbon number of at least 1 and no greater than 6, an optionally substituted alkoxy group having a carbon number of at least 1 and no greater than 6, and an optionally substituted aryl group having a carbon number of at least 6 and no greater than 12. In general formula (1), m and n each represent, independently of one another, an integer of at least 0 and no greater than 4. In general formula (1), 1 represents 0 or 1.

Abstract: An overcoat layer and method to make an overcoated photoconductor drum of an electrophotographic image forming device using irradiation such as with electron beam (EB) or ultraviolet (UV) light is provided. The photoconductor drum is then cured using EB dose of between 10 and 100 kiloGrays (kGy), preferably between 20 and 40 kGys or UV irradiation with an exposure of between 0.1 and 2 J/cm2. The unique overcoat layer of the present invention is formed having a biphasic morphology comprised of a highly cured crosslinked phase and a second phase enriched in uncured material. The desired amount of uncured uncrosslinked material found in the second phase of the biphasic structure, is between 2-70 wt % range, with particularly good combination of long-life and electrical performance when present at the 5-50 wt % level, and the best performance at the 15-40 wt % level.

Abstract: The photosensitive layer of an electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a phthalocyanine crystal in which a compound represented by the following formula (1) is contained:

Abstract: Provided is a developing apparatus, including toner for developing an electrostatic latent image, a toner carrier for carrying the toner, and a regulating member for regulating a layer thickness of the toner carried by the toner carrier. The toner carrier is placed to be brought into contact with the electrostatic latent image bearing member. The toner carrier includes a substrate, an elastic layer, and a surface layer containing a urethane resin. The urethane resin has a partial structure derived from a reaction between a compound represented by the structural formula (1) and a polyisocyanate. The toner contains toner particles each containing a binder resin and a magnetic material, and inorganic fine particles. The toner has a weight average particle diameter (D4) of from 9.5 ?m to 14.0 ?m. The toner has a porosity of 50 or more and 56 or less.

Abstract: Provided is a toner, including: a crystalline resin; and a colorant, wherein the toner has a sea island structure in which a crystal region containing the crystalline resin is formed as a sea, and a non-crystalline region containing the colorant is formed as an island.

Abstract: An electrostatic latent image developing toner includes a plurality of toner particles each having a toner core, a shell layer, and needle-like particles. The needle-like particles adhere to a surface of the toner core. The shell layer contains a thermosetting resin and covers the needle-like particles and the toner core. The needle-like particles contain titanium oxide. The needle-like particles have a volume resistivity value of at least 1.0×101 ?·cm and no greater than 1.0×108 ?·cm. The needle-like particles have a number average major-axis diameter of at least 0.2 ?m and no greater than 2.0 ?m. The needle-like particles have a number average minor-axis diameter of at least 0.01 ?m and no greater than 0.10 ?m.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes an electrically conductive support, a photosensitive layer formed on the electrically conductive support and a surface layer formed on the photosensitive layer. The surface layer contains a resin produced by polymerizing a cross-linkable polymerizable compound, N-type semiconductor fine particles and P-type semiconductor fine particles.

Abstract: Provided is a toner obtained by melting and kneading a binder resin containing a polyester resin A and a polyester resin B, a colorant, and a wax, in which in the resin A, the content of a polyhydric alcohol unit derived from an aromatic diol, the content of a polyhydric alcohol unit derived from an oxyalkylene ether of a novolac type phenol resin, and the content of a polyvalent carboxylic acid unit derived from an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid, which contains a straight-chain hydrocarbon having 4 or more to 16 or less carbon atoms as a main chain and has carboxyl groups at both of its terminals, fall within specific ranges, and in the resin B, the content of a polyhydric alcohol unit derived from an aromatic diol and the content of a polyvalent carboxylic acid unit derived from an aromatic dicarboxylic acid or a derivative thereof fall within specific ranges.

Abstract: A process cartridge that can suppress production of a banding image attributed to contact rotation of an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a charging member and output a high-quality image is provided. The charging member includes an electro-conductive substrate and an electroconductive resin layer, the resin layer contains a binder, a conductive fine particle, and a bowl-shaped resin particle having an opening, and the surface of the charging member has a concavity derived from the opening of the bowl-shaped resin particle and a protrusion derived from the edge of the opening thereof. The electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a support and a photosensitive layer, and the surface layer in the photosensitive member contains a specific resin (?), a specific resin (?), and a specific compound (?).

Abstract: To provide a toner, containing: a noncrystalline resin; and a crystalline resin, wherein the crystalline resin has a weight average molecular weight of 100,000 to 180,000, wherein a temperature range of the toner, within which a loss tangent (tan ?) as measured by a dynamic viscoelasticity measurement is 6 or greater, is 20° C. or greater, and wherein a fixed toner image has 60° glossiness of 30 to 50, where the fixed toner image is obtained by forming an unfixed toner image having a deposition amount of 0.4 mg/cm2 on a recording medium having 60° glossiness of 30 for a measurement, and fixing at temperature at which temperature of the toner image is a lowest temperature of the temperature range +10° C., at 0.15 MPa, for a nipping duration of 50 msec.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor has a support medium, an undercoat layer formed immediately on the support medium, and a photosensitive layer formed immediately on the undercoat layer, in which the undercoat layer contains a binding resin and composite particles each containing a core material particle covered with tin oxide doped with a predetermined amount of aluminum.

Abstract: The disclosure describes a one reactor process for making a bio-based polyester resin and the polyester polymer thereof The bio-based polymer is the product of a condensation reaction of (a) a rosin diol, (b) neopentyl glycol, (c) succinic acid, (d) an aromatic dicarboxylic acid and (e) dipropylene glycol or tripropvlene glycol, wherein the rosin diol is a reaction product between a rosin acid and a cyclic alkylene glycol and comprises only one rosin moiety. The resultant polyester resin retains thermal properties as compared to a similar resin but made using previous multi-step processes conducted in separate vessels.

Abstract: A toner, including: a crystalline resin; a non-crystalline resin; and a colorant, wherein the toner has a sea-island structure which includes a sea containing the crystalline resin and an island containing the non-crystalline resin and the colorant, wherein the island is 1.0 ?m or less in domain diameter, and wherein the toner is 1.7×104 Pa or less in storage elastic modulus at 160° C.

Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic photosensitive member including a charge-generating layer that includes: an amine compound represented by the formula (1) and a gallium phthalocyanine crystal, or a gallium phthalocyanine crystal containing the amine compound represented by the formula (1); and an arene compound, in which the arene compound includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by the formula (2) and a compound represented by the formula (3).

Abstract: A toner comprised of toner particles including an amorphous resin and a crystalline resin is provided. The coefficient of variation in softening temperature among resin portions in the toner particles is 15% or less when the softening temperature is measured with a scanning probe microscope equipped with a heatable cantilever.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive substrate; an organic photosensitive layer that is provided on the conductive substrate; and an inorganic protective layer that is provided on the organic photosensitive layer so as to be in contact with a surface of the organic photosensitive layer, wherein the organic photosensitive layer includes at least a charge transport material and silica particles in a region on the surface side in contact with the inorganic protective layer.

Abstract: The method of manufacturing toners disclosed herein includes a continuous temperature ramp and coalescence process that involves continuously passing toner slurry, such as an aggregated toner slurry, through at least one heat exchanger before being subjected to a cooling step. The heat exchanger is pressurized, so the temperature of the slurry may be increased above the atmospheric boiling point of water without boiling the water component of the slurry. Because of these higher temperatures, the coalescence step can be completed more quickly than in conventional batch processes. More than two heat exchangers may be connected in the coalescence step, yielding multiple ramping/cooling temperature steps, ability to inject components, or recycling heat from the process to reduce energy consumption.