Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor includes a conductive substrate and an outermost surface layer on the conductive substrate. The outermost surface layer contains a copolymer (a) derived from a reactive monomer having charge transport property and a reactive monomer having no charge transport property, and a polymer prepared by polymerizing, in the presence of the copolymer (a), a reactive monomer (b) that has a solubility parameter (SP value) different from a solubility parameter (SP value) of the reactive monomer having no charge transport property by about 2 (cal/cm3)1/2 or less.

Abstract: The present invention provides a toner which, despite its spherical shape, makes it possible to prevent an external additive from being embedded in the toner easily or by a load generating low stress, reduce variation in image density, maintain cleaning ability and transfer ability throughout its long-term use and obtain excellent image quality, and further, provides a two-component developer, an image forming method and an image forming apparatus with the use of the toner. There is a toner including: base particles including a colorant and a resin, and hard fine particles, wherein the base particles and the hard fine particles are mixed together, and protruding portions formed of fine organic resin particles which are different in composition from a resin contained as a main component in the base particles are provided on surfaces of the base particles.

Abstract: An image forming method is disclosed, comprising transferring and fixing steps, wherein fixing is performed by a fixing device in which at least one of a heating member and a pressing member comprises an endless belt entrained about plural rollers, and the heating member and the pressing member are pressed against each other to form a fixing nip, and wherein toner particles contains a binder resin which has a domain/matrix structure constituted of a high-elastic resin forming a domain and a low-elastic resin forming a matrix in an elastic image obtained when observing the toner particles by an atomic force microscope with respect to a section of the individual toner particles, in which an arithmetic average value of a ratio (L/W) of a major axis (L) to a minor axis (W) of individual domains is 1.5 to 5.

Abstract: A magenta toner for electrophotography, including: toner particles containing, a polyester resin, a coloring agent containing a solid solution of C.I. Pigment Violet 19 and C.I. Pigment Red 122, a release agent, and inorganic particles; and an external additive, wherein an average particle diameter of the inorganic particle is 0.75 times or more the average particle diameter of the coloring agent.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus and an electrophotographic photosensitive member for use in the electrophotographic apparatus are provided. The number of intermediate layers between a photoconductive layer and a surface layer is an odd number more than 2, and the refractive index monotonically decreases from the photoconductive layer toward the surface layer. The refractive index of an odd-numbered intermediate layer is in a predetermined range of the geometrical mean of the refractive indices of the two layers adjacent to the odd-numbered intermediate layer, and the product of the refractive index and the thickness is in a specific range of an odd multiple of ?/4n. The sum of the products of the refractive indices and the thicknesses of one or more intermediate layers disposed between at least two odd-numbered intermediate layers is in a range of ??/2<?<?/2 in the terms of phases.

Abstract: Embodiments pertain to a novel imaging member, namely, an imaging member or photoreceptor comprising a protective outer layer which comprises light-absorbing composition that substantially prevents any light absorption by the overcoat layer. The composition comprises a low strength thermal plastic resin and a high optical density yellow dye. Thus, the light-blocking protective layer reduces the intrinsic light shock suffered by conventional overcoat layers without negatively impacting electrical properties of the overcoat layer and while improving print quality.

Abstract: To provide a toner, containing: a binder resin; a crystalline polyester resin; a colorant; and wax, wherein the toner has a fluidized powder characteristic value of 35% to 45%, and a BET specific surface area of 2.8 m2/g to 4 m2/g, and wherein the toner has an intensity ratio P2850/P828 of 0.10 to 0.20, where P2850 is an intensity of a peak at 2850 cm?1 which is attributed from the wax and the crystalline polyester resin, and P828 is an intensity of a peak at 828 cm?1 which is attributed from the binder resin, as measured by total reflectance infrared spectroscopy.

Abstract: A toner includes a binder including two different weight molecular weight resins, a colorant, and a releasing agent, wherein a gel permeation chromatogram (GPC) molecular weight distribution curve of the toner has a major peak (Mp) present in a range of about 1.0×104 to about 3.0×104 g/mol and a shoulder curve starting at 1.0×105 g/mol or more, and a storage modulus (G?) curve of the toner with respect to temperature has Ts, which is a temperature at which a storage modulus value begins to decrease, in a temperature range of about 50 to about 67° C.

Abstract: A toner for developing electrostatic image comprising a toner particle containing a binding resin is disclosed. which, and In the toner the binding resin has a domain-matrix structure composed of a high elastic resin composing a domain and a low elastic resin composing a matrix, an arithmetic mean value of ratio (L/W) of the Length L to Width W of the domains is 1.5 to 5.0, domains having Length L in the range of 60 to 500 nm exist 80 number % or more, and domains having Width Win the range of 45 to 100 nm exist 80 number % or more, in a viscoelastic image of a cross section of the toner particle observed via an atomic force microscope.

Abstract: The resin coated carrier is used with a toner in which an external additive having an average primary particle size of 50 nm or more is added to a toner particle, and has a carrier core and a resin coating layer on the surface of the carrier core. In the resin coated carrier, the following expression (1) is satisfied: 0.5??log {(A/C)/(B/C)}?2.5??(1) wherein A represents a volume resistance value (?/cm) of the resin coated carrier in an electric field of 1000 V/cm that is obtained by conducting a stirring test, B represents a volume resistance value (?/cm) of the resin coated carrier in an electric field of 1000 V/cm before the stirring test, and C represents a volume resistance value (?/cm) of the carrier core in an electric field of 1000 V/cm.

Abstract: A method for producing a low density resin-coated carrier having a small resin amount to a carrier core material and having a uniform resin coating layer formed on the carrier core material is provided. A resin-coated carrier has a carrier core material and a resin coating layer formed on the surface of the carrier core material. The carrier core material has pores and an apparent density of 1.6 g/cm3 to 2.0 g/cm3 and a remanent magnetization of 10 emu/g of less. The resin coating layer is formed by a dry process of adhering resin particles to a surface of the carrier core material and applying heat and impact force to the resin particles. A volume average particle size of the resin particles is less than 1 ?m. A two-component developer containing the resin-coated carrier is charged in a developing device in an image forming apparatus, and an image is formed.

Abstract: A process for making emulsion aggregation (EA) toners is provided. In embodiments, the process comprises aggregating a mixture comprising a latex resin, and at least one colorant in a reactor to form aggregated toner particles, adding a shell resin to form a shell over the aggregated toner particles, coalescing the aggregated toner particles, and recovering the toner particles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a resin binder for toners which contains a crystalline polyester which is produced by polycondensing at least an alcohol component containing an aliphatic diol having 2 to 12 carbon atoms and a carboxylic acid component containing an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid compound having 8 to 12 carbon atoms in an amount of from 70 to 100 mol %, wherein a content of a methyl ethyl ketone soluble component (at 20° C.) in the crystalline polyester is from 0.5 to 7% by weight on the basis of a weight of the crystalline polyester, and a difference between a melting point of the crystalline polyester and a peak top temperature observed in DSC measurement of the methyl ethyl ketone soluble component (“melting point of the crystalline polyester”?“peak top temperature observed in DSC measurement of the methyl ethyl ketone soluble component”) is within the range of from 1 to 15° C.

Abstract: A curable sublimation marking material including at least one curable component and at least one sublimation colorant. Also disclosed is a transfer printing method including applying a curable sublimation marking material in a desired pattern onto a transfer substrate to form an image on the transfer substrate at a first temperature which is below the sublimation temperature of the sublimation colorant; wherein the curable sublimation marking material comprises at least one curable component and at least one sublimation colorant; curing the image on the transfer substrate; and optionally, bringing the transfer substrate into contact with a final image-receiving substrate, optionally applying pressure, and heating to a second temperature which is sufficient to cause the sublimation colorant to sublime and form a permanent image on the final image-receiving substrate.

Abstract: A photoreceptor comprising an undercoat layer between a conductive support and a photosensitive layer, wherein the undercoat layer contains at least metal oxide microparticles coated with anhydrous silicon dioxide and a first binder resin, the photosensitive layer is a monolayered photosensitive layer containing at least a charge generation material and a charge transport material or a multilayered photosensitive layer formed of a charge generation layer containing a charge generation material and a charge transport layer containing a charge transport material stacked in this order or in an inverse order, and the charge generation material contains a crystal type oxotitanylphthalocyanine having peaks in an X-ray diffraction spectrum with Cu—K? characteristic X-rays (0.15418 nm) at Bragg angles (2?±0.2°) of 7.3°, 9.4°, 9.6°, 11.6°, 13.3°, 17.9°, 24.1° and 27.2°, in which a peak bundle formed by overlapping the peaks at 9.4° and 9.6° is a largest peak, and the peak at 27.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a toner including supplying a fluid containing a resin and a coloring agent to a retaining member including a film having multiple discharge orifices, discharging droplets of the fluid from the multiple discharge orifices at a speed of from 2 to 4 m/s by applying a pulse voltage having a trapezoid waveform to a piezoelectric body having a surface provided substantially parallel to the film to move the surface in a direction away from the film relative to a reference position of the surface followed by holding the surface there for a predetermined time, and bringing the surface back to the reference position; and solidifying droplets of the fluid discharged from the multiple discharge orifices to form mother particles.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing toner including mixing mother toner particles containing a binder resin and a coloring agent and first particles having an average primary particle diameter of from 100 nm to 1 ?m to using a mixer including a rotary shaft member, multiple stirring members provided to the surface of the shaft member, and a casing to cover the multiple stirring members, wherein the cross section of the inner periphery of the casing relative to a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the shaft member is circular around the rotation axis with a substantially constant distance between the inner periphery and the rotation axis. The casing covers the multiple stirring members and a cooling jacket is provided to at least part of the outer periphery of the casing. The weight ratio of the particles to the mother toner particles is from 1.5% to 10%.

Abstract: A photomask blank which is capable of preventing static buildup caused by electron beam pattern drawing for forming a resist pattern. The photomask blank provides a good pattern accuracy through optimization of the dry etching rate along the depth direction of the shielding film, and is capable of reducing the dry etching time by increasing the dry etching rate of the shielding film. The photomask blank includes a translucent substrate having thereon a shielding film composed mainly of chromium and the shielding film contains hydrogen. The shielding film is formed in such a manner that the film formation rate of the layer at the surface side is lower than the film formation rate of the layer at the translucent substrate side of the shielding film. The dry etching rate of the shielding film is lower at the translucent substrate side than at the surface side.

Abstract: A photoreceptor comprising a composite structured organic film comprising a plurality of segments and a plurality of linkers arranged as a covalent organic framework, wherein the structured organic film includes a secondary component and may be a multi-segment thick structured organic film.

Abstract: Disclosed is a non-magnetic toner for use in developing electrostatic toner image, wherein the toner is produced by a toner production method that includes: dispersing in an aqueous medium an organic dispersion liquid that comprises in an organic solvent a pigment, a binder resin and/or a binder resin precursor, and a releasing agent; removing the organic solvent to prepare a dispersion slurry in which toner particles are dispersed in the aqueous medium; heating the dispersion slurry to a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of the releasing agent; and washing the toner particles.