Abstract: To provide an image bearing member protecting agent that includes at least a hydrophobic organic compound and an amphiphile organic compound. Preferred embodiments are that the hydrophobic organic compound is a hydrocarbon wax, and the hydrocarbon wax is at least a wax selected from normal paraffins, isoparaffins, and cycloparaffins; and that the amphiphile organic compound is an polyalcohol esterified compound including a nonionic surface active surfactant, and the nonionic surface active surfactant is an alkyl carboxylic acid represented by a structural formula, CnH2n+1COOH.

Abstract: An electrostatic latent image is formed on an image carrier. In the image carrier, a photosensitive layer is provided so as to cover a conductive substrate. Conductive particles are dispersed in the photosensitive layer, such that some of the particles are exposed at a surface of the photosensitive layer.

Abstract: A photoreceptor including an electroconductive substrate, a photosensitive layer located overlying the substrate, and a protective layer overlying the photosensitive layer, wherein the photoreceptor has a property such that when the photoreceptor is charged so as to have a potential of ?700 V and then exposed to light with exposure of 0.4 ?J/cm2, the potential (PL) of a lighted portion of the photoreceptor decreases at a rate not greater than 700 V/sec during a time period of from a time 35 msec after the exposure to the transition time of the photoreceptor. An image forming apparatus and a process cartridge including the photoreceptor are also provided.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor is provided including an electroconductive substrate; a photosensitive layer located overlying the electroconductive substrate; and an outermost layer located overlying the photosensitive layer, wherein the outermost layer is formed by a reaction between a radical polymerizable compound having no charge transport structure including a compound having a specific formula, and a radical polymerizable compound having a charge transport structure, while applying heat, light, or ionizing radiation to the reaction, and wherein at least one of the photosensitive layer and the outermost layer includes at least an arylmethane compound having an alkylamino group or a compound having a specific formula.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor including an electroconductive substrate and a photosensitive layer located overlying the electroconductive substrate, wherein an outermost layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a particulate fluorine-containing resin, and wherein a primary particle of the particulate fluorine-containing resin and a secondary particle formed of agglomerated primary particles thereof, which are projected from a surface of the outermost layer and have an average particle diameter of from 0.15 to 3 ?m, are present in an area ratio not less than 10% based on total surface area of the outermost layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photosensitive member including a substantially cylindrical body and a photosensitive layer formed on the outer circumference of the body. The body has an outer diameter larger at a middle portion of a latent image forming area than at end portions of the latent image forming area in the axial direction. The electrophotographic photosensitive member may further include a heating member accommodated within the body and extending along the axial direction of the body, for heating the latent image forming area of the photosensitive layer.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a chamber where an optical element having a capping layer is arranged, and exposes a substrate by using the optical element. The exposure apparatus includes a supply unit which supplies a material to repair the capping layer into the chamber, and a providing unit which provides electromagnetic waves to the optical element. The electromagnetic waves cause a photochemical reaction of the material to grow a layer on the capping layer so as to repair the capping layer.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member is provided minimizing the absorption of image exposure having a short wavelength in a surface layer and keeping good electrophotographic properties including resolving power. The electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a conductive substrate, and a photoconductive layer and a surface region layer sequentially superimposed on the conductive substrate. The surface region layer is composed of a non-single-crystal silicon nitride film containing an Group element in the periodic table and a carbon atom and using at least a silicon atom and a nitrogen atom as base materials. In the surface region layer, the Group 13 element content with respect to the total amount of constituent atoms has distribution having at least two local maximum values in the thickness direction, and an the average concentration of nitrogen atoms is 30 atm % to 70 atm %.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor of the invention comprising: an conductive support; a light-sensitive layer formed on the conductive support and containing a charge generating material and a charge transport material; and a surface protective layer formed on the light-sensitive layer and made of a resin composition, wherein the resin composition constituting the surface protective layer contains an amine compound represented by the following formula (1): wherein R1 and R2 are, the same or different, each an alkyl group or an allyl group which may have a substituent or a heterocyclic residue to be formed through or not through a nitrogen atom or an oxygen atom together with the nitrogen atom to which R1 and R2 are bonded, R3 and R4 are, the same or different, each an alkyl group having a substituent and n denotes 1 or 2, provided that when n is 1, X is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or an alkyl group, a hydroxyl group or a mercapto group which may have a substituent, or a ring optionally containing

Abstract: Silicon-containing layers for electrophotographic photoreceptors which have high mechanical strength, improved electrophotographic characteristics and improved image deletion characteristics even under conditions of high temperature and high humidity are provided. Such silicon-containing layers include silicon-containing compounds, which may be cross-linked, and siloxane-containing antioxidants that can be selected from hindered phenol antioxidants, hindered amine antioxidants, thioether antioxidants and phosphite antioxidants. Electrophotographic photoreceptors and electrophotographic imaging apparatuses containing such silicon-containing layers are also provided.

Abstract: A photo conductor has a protective surface layer whereon at least a carrier generation layer and a carrier transport layer are provided onto a conductive base. The protective surface layer includes a first protective surface layer using a hydrocarbon gas-based amorphous carbon with an ion implantation layer, and a second protective surface layer using a hydrocarbon gas-based amorphous carbon without an ion implantation layer.

Abstract: An imaging member with a surface-grafted material having an inorganic material, a linking group, and a charge transport moiety capable of transporting holes or electrons, and the charge transport moiety is grafted to a surface of the inorganic material via the linking group, and further, an image forming apparatus having the imaging member.

Abstract: A positively-charged electrophotographic organic photoreceptor includes an electrically conductive support, and a charge transport layer and a charge generating layer sequentially stacked on the electrically conductive support. The charge generating layer is formed by coating a charge generating layer forming composition that includes a fluorene compound, a charge generating material, a binder resin and an organic solvent on the charge transport layer, and drying. The organic photoreceptor has high sensitivity, while suppressing contamination of a charge generating layer during coating, and thicknesses of a charge transport layer and a charge generating layer may be adjusted. Also, the electrostatic properties of the organic photoreceptor, including charge potential and exposure potential, may be easily adjusted.

Abstract: To provide a high-image-quality electrophotographic photosensitive member having a high sensitivity for a wavelength close to 380 to 500 nm, remarkable image resolution property in which absorption of the wavelength is hardly recognized, working-environment characteristic and high safety and superior in abrasion resistance and fabrication easiness and reducing optical memories and an electrophotographic apparatus using the high-image-quality electrophotographic photosensitive member. In the case of an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a substrate, photoconductive layer formed on the substrate and surface layer formed on the photoconductive layer and using silicon and nitrogen atoms as base material and containing an amorphous material containing at least oxygen atoms, the surface layer contains nitrogen atoms as an average concentration shown by the following expression (1) and contains oxygen atoms by the maximum value Omax of the number of oxygen atoms in the thickness direction: 0.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for producing a negative-charging electrophotographic photosensitive member which can improve the adherence between a first layer and a second layer without lowering the effect of lessening image defects and realize a reduction in overall costs, a negative-charging electrophotographic photosensitive member produced by the process, and an electrophotographic apparatus. In the process for producing a negative-charging electrophotographic photosensitive member, a first layer is deposited on a substarte, at least the vertexes of protuberances are removed, the substrate with the first layer deposited theron is placed in a film forming furnace, the first layer surface is plasma-treated with a gas containing at least a Group 13 element in the periodic table and a dilution gas composed of at least one selected from hydrogen, argon and helium, and a layer formed of a non-single-crystal material is deposited as the second layer on the first layer.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to improve a phenomenon of the life-shortening of the endurance life due to scratch occurring when recesses of a fixed dimple shape are formed on the surface of the surface layer, in order to inhibit the chattering and folding back of a cleaning blade and the fracture of an edge, which occurs because friction between the surface layer of the surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member and an abutting member is high; and particularly to improve the above described problems, from initial printing through printing on many sheets, which become particularly remarkable when using an electrophotographic photosensitive member with the use of a curable resin that is improved so as to have a high elastic deformation rate for the surface layer, in order to improve the strength of the surface layer, for the purpose of increasing the durability of an electrophotographic photosensitive member.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive substrate, a photoconductive layer formed on the conductive substrate containing a charge generating material and a charge transferring material, and a protective layer formed on the photoconductive layer for protecting the photoconductive layer. The protective layer contains an alcohol-soluble polyamide resin and an alcohol-soluble chelate compound. According to the present invention, the electrophotographic photoreceptor has the protective layer with chelate compound has improved adhesive properties to the photoconductive layer and improved the electrostatic characteristic and productivity.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member is disclosed having a cylindrical support and an organic photosensitive layer provided on the cylindrical support. The peripheral surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member is composed of grooves formed substantially in its peripheral direction and flat portions, and in the grooves, the number of grooves each having a width in the range of from 0.5 ?m to 40 ?m is from 20 to 1,000 lines per 1,000 ?m in width in the generatrix direction of the peripheral surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member.

Abstract: An image forming method includes a photoreceptor preparation step, a coated paper preparation step, a charging step, an exposure step, a development step, and a transfer step. The electrophotographic photoreceptor has a conductive support and a photosensitive layer disposed on the conductive support. The photosensitive layer on the farthest side from the conductive support, includes a surface layer containing at least one selected from the group consisting of fluorine based resin fine particles, a carbonate resin, an arylate resin. The coated paper has a substrate and a coated layer, disposed on at least one surface of the substrate. The coated layer contains an adhesive containing latex having a glass transition temperature of 20° C. or higher and a pigment, and the surface, opposite to the substrate, of the coated layer has a glossiness of 10% or more.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrophotographic photoconductor including at least a photoconductive layer on an electroconductive substrate, which comprises at least a cross-linked surface layer formed by curing a tri- or more-functional radical polymerizable monomer without having a charge transporting structure and a mono-functional radical polymerizable compound having a charge transporting structure wherein the cross-linked surface layer has a surface roughness Rz of 1.3 ?m or less.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrophotographic photoconductor including at least a photoconductive layer on a conductive substrate, wherein the surface layer of the photoconductive layer contains at least a surface crosslinked layer formed by curing a tri- or more-functional radical polymerizable monomer without having a charge transporting structure and a mono-functional radical polymerizable compound having a charge transporting structure and the surface crosslinked layer has a surface roughness Rz of 1.3 ?m or less.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising a conductive substrate, and at least one layer, which contains a polymeric compound having a repeating unit selected from repeating units represented by the following general formulas (I) to (III), provided on the conductive substrate, as well as an electrophotographic process cartridge and an image forming apparatus using the electrophotographic photoreceptor. In general formulas (I) to (III), R1a and R1b each independently represent an alkylene group, X represents an arylene group or an alkylene group, Y represents a divalent aromatic group, and n represents a repeating unit number.

Abstract: A composition for an overcoat layer suitable for use in an organophotoreceptor for liquid toner, an organophotoreceptor manufactured by employing the composition and an electrophotographic imaging apparatus containing the organophotoreceptor. Since the organophotoreceptor can maintain higher charge potential and low residual or discharge potential, the lifetime of the organophotoreceptor can be extended. Also, since the organophotoreceptor has good solvent resistance and abrasion resistance, it can be advantageously used for liquid toner.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus adopts a contact development system as a development system, which hardly causes toner fusion, and which hardly causes fogging in an output image; and a process cartridge is detachably attached to a main body of the electrophotographic apparatus. Specifically, provided are: an electrophotographic apparatus equipped with an electrophotographic photoreceptor having a surface layer containing a diorganopolysiloxane having a specific repeating structural unit; and a process cartridge that is detachably attached to a main body of the electrophotographic apparatus.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor in which at least a photosensitive layer is provided above an electroconductive substrate, the outermost surface layer of the electroconductive substrate contains at least an inorganic filler, a binder resin, and an aliphatic polyester, or, alternatively, the outermost surface layer of the electroconductive substrate contains at least an inorganic filler and a binder resin and the binder resin is a copolymer polyarylate having an alkylene-arylcarboxylate structural unit, also an image forming method, image forming apparatus, and image forming apparatus processing unit in which the electrophotographic photoreceptor is used.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member is provided which can keep at a minimum the absorption of image exposure light of 380 to 500 nm in wavelength in its surface layer and concurrently can satisfactorily keep electrophotographic properties including resolving power. The electrophotographic photosensitive member has a substrate, and a photoconductive layer and a surface layer in this order provided on the substrate. The surface layer includes an amorphous material composed chiefly of silicon atoms and nitrogen atoms and containing at least oxygen atoms and carbon atoms, and the ratios of the numbers of the respective oxygen atoms, carbon atoms and nitrogen atoms to the total number of oxygen atoms, carbon atoms and nitrogen atoms contained in the amorphous material are each within a specific range.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor including a photosensitive layer on an electroconductive substrate, wherein nitrate ion is present on the surface of the photosensitive layer in an amount of from 50 to 300 ?g per 1 m2 of the surface of the photosensitive layer when the nitrate ion is determined by an ion chromatographic method. Preferably a material having a fluorine atom and a carbon atom or a fatty acid metal salt such as zinc stearate is further present on the surface of the photosensitive layer such that the F/C ratio is from 0.05 to 0.5 or the Zn/C ratio is from 0.001 to 0.1. An image forming apparatus using the photoreceptor is also provided.

Abstract: An electrostatographic imaging member having a flexible supporting substrate, an imaging layer capable of retaining an electrostatic latent image, and an electrically conductive ground strip layer comprising a film forming binder and a lignin sulfonic acid doped polyaniline dispersion, and an image forming apparatus with the above imaging member to receive an electrostatic latent image on a charge-retentive surface of the imaging member; a development component to apply toner to the charge-retentive surface to develop the electrostatic latent image to form a developed toner image on the charge-retentive surface; a transfer component to transfer the developed toner image from the charge-retentive surface to a receiving copy substrate; and a fixing component to fuse the developed image to the receiving copy substrate.

Abstract: This invention relates to a photoreceptor that includes: (a) an overcoat layer comprising at least a rheology modifier and a polymeric resin selected from the group consisting of urethane resins, urethane-epoxy resins, acrylated-urethane resins, urethane-acrylic resins, and a combination thereof. (b) at least a charge transport compound; (c) at least a charge generating compound; and (d) an electrically conductive substrate.

Abstract: An imaging member having a substrate, a charge transport layer having charge transport materials dispersed therein, and thereover, an overcoat layer comprising a deletion control agent.

Abstract: A composition forms an overcoat layer for an organic photoreceptor by combining an organic silane compound, an acrylic polymer, polyvinyl butyral and a solvent. The organic photoreceptor has increased electrical and mechanical properties, leading to improved life characteristics. Also, unlike when a single material of either acrylic polymer or silsesquioxane is used in forming an overcoat layer, when the composition of the present invention is used, it is not necessary to coat a primer or an adhesive layer, thereby simplifying a coating process and reducing the cost required in forming additive layers.

Abstract: A photoconductive member containing, for example, a substrate, a photogenerating layer, a charge transport layer and an overcoat layer wherein the overcoat layer is comprised of a crosslinked siloxane composite containing a caprolactone-siloxane.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor has an electroconductive support and a photoconductive layer which is formed thereon and contains at least one resin of a polyurethane resin, a polyester resin, or a polycarbonate resin, each resin having at least a structural unit of formula (1): wherein R1, R2, R3, a, b, and n are the same as those specified in the specification. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus and method, and a process cartridge employ the above photoconductor.

Abstract: A fine electrode and wiring pattern with a good adhesive property is easily formed using a water-based solution easy to handle and small in environmental load, thereby improving a stability of a manufacturing process of an image-forming apparatus in the case where the water-based solution is used in the manufacturing process. A base pattern is formed using a base pattern forming material for electrode and wiring material absorption which is a water-based solution containing a water-soluble photosensitive resin component and a water-soluble metallic compound including rhodium, bismuth, ruthenium, vanadium, chromium, tin, lead, or silicon. An organic metallic compound is absorbed in the base pattern and then baking is conducted to form electrodes and wirings.

Abstract: Improved organophotoreceptors comprise an electrically conductive substrate; a photoconductive element comprising a charge generation compound; and an overcoat layer comprising a first binder and at least a salt, wherein the photoconductive layer is on the electrically conductive substrate, wherein the overcoat layer is on the photoconductive layer and wherein the binder is not a silsesquioxane polymer.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising a conductive support and a photosensitive layer disposed on the conductive support, wherein the photosensitive layer comprises a silicon compound-containing layer containing a silicon compound, and the silicon compound-containing layer further contains a resin, and wherein the photosensitive layer has a peak area in the region of ?40 to 0 ppm (S1) and a peak area in the region of ?100 to ?50 ppm (S2) in a 29Si-NMR spectrum satisfying the following equation (1): S1/(S1+S2)?0.5.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising a conductive support having formed thereon a specific photosensitive layer. The photosensitive layer comprises a siloxane resin-containing layer containing a siloxane resin having a structural unit represented by general formula (1) shown below, a structural unit represented by general formula (2) shown below, and an organic group derived from a compound having hole transport capability, or comprises a siloxane resin-containing layer containing a siloxane resin obtained by using an organic silicon compound having a structural unit represented by general formula (1) shown below and a hydrolytic group, and a compound represented by general formula (3) shown below: The formulas are defined in the specification.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided: an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photosensitive layer on a support in which a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member comprises an acrylic polymer having a polyfluoroolefin unit and an alkylene oxide unit, and having a number-average molecular weight in a range of 2,000 to 20,000; a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus both comprising the electrophotographic photosensitive member.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor for wet development including an electrically conductive substrate, and an organic photosensitive layer formed on the electrically conductive substrate, wherein a surface layer of the organic photosensitive layer includes at least a binder resin comprising a polymer compound and a charge transport material comprising a low molecule compound, the surface layer having an oxygen gas permeation coefficient of 5×10?13 cm3 (STP)*cm/s*cm2*cmHg or less. The electrophotographic photoreceptor has high durability for liquid developer used in a wet development technique and can produce good image characteristics.

Abstract: A photoconductive imaging member containing a supporting substrate, a photogenerating layer, a charge transport layer, and in contact with the charge transport layer a layer comprised of a polymer and a yellow dye of the formula

Abstract: A light-receiving member comprising a conductive substrate, and formed superposingly thereon a photosensitive layer and a surface protective layer in order. The light-receiving member has a surface roughness Ra of from 15 nm to 100 nm. Also disclosed is an image-forming apparatus having such a light-receiving member, and an image-forming method of rendering visible an electrostatic pattern formed on the light-receiving member. The light-receiving member promises stable formation of images over a long period of time.

Abstract: A photoreceptor including an electroconductive substrate; and a photosensitive layer located overlying the electroconductive substrate and comprising a charge generation material, a charge transport material and an inorganic filler, wherein the content of the inorganic filler at a surface side of the photosensitive layer is greater than that at a bottom side of the photosensitive layer near the electroconductive substrate, and wherein an outermost layer of the photoreceptor has a water vapor permeability not greater than 50 g·m?2·24 h?1.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved organophotoreceptor that comprises an electrically conductive substrate; a photoconductive element comprising a charge generation compound and a salt of an electron transport compound. In some embodiments, the photoconductive element has a photoconductive layer with the charge generation compound and an overcoat layer with the salt of the electron transport compound in which the photoconductive layer is on the electrically conductive substrate and the overcoat layer is on the photoconductive layer.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member production process is provided having the steps of placing a cylindrical substrate having a conductive surface in a first film-forming chamber, and decomposing a source gas with high-frequency power to deposit on the cylindrical substrate a first layer formed of a non-single-crystal material, taking out of the first film-forming chamber the cylindrical substrate with the first layer deposited thereon, and placing the cylindrical substrate with the first layer deposited thereon in a second film-forming chamber, and decomposing a source gas with a high-frequency power to deposit on the first layer a second layer having an upper-part blocking layer formed of a non-single-crystal material. Even where abnormal growth portions called spherical protuberances are present on the photosensitive member surface, they can be made not to appear on images, and image defects can vastly be remedied.

Abstract: An image formation method includes the steps of charging the surface of an electrophotographic photoconductor, exposing the charged photoconductor to a light image to form a latent electrostatic image on the photoconductor, developing the latent electrostatic image using a two-component developer containing a toner and a carrier to obtain a toner image, and transferring the toner image to an image receiving material directly or via an intermediate transfer member, with the photoconductor showing a surface friction coefficient of 0.40 or less, and the toner having toner particles with an average circularity of 0.930 or more.

Abstract: An imaging member having a substrate, a charge transport layer having charge transport materials dispersed therein, and an overcoat layer comprising trisamino triphenyl compound.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member having a surface layer containing at least one of a charge-transporting material and conductive particles and a polymer obtained by polymerizing at least one selected from the group consisting of a polyhydroxymethylbisphenol monomer having a specific structure, a polyhydroxymethylbisphenol oligomer having a specific structure, a polyhydroxymethyltrisphenol monomer having a specific structure and a polyhydroxymethyltrisphenol oligomer having a specific structure; and a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus which have the electrophotographic photosensitive member.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor having at least a photosensitive layer on a conductive support, wherein the electrophotographic photoconductor comprising, in the outermost layer thereof: a filler, an organic compound having an acid value of 10–400 mgKOH/g, and at least one of compounds represented by the following general formulas 1 and 2: where R1, R2 are substituted or unsubstituted alkyl groups or aromatic hydrocarbon rings, and may be identical or different. R1, R2 may also be bonded together to form a substituted or unsubstituted heterocycle containing a nitrogen atom. R3, R4, R5 are substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or alkoxy groups, or halogen atoms. Ar is a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon ring or aromatic heterocycle. n is an integer in the range 2 to 4, and k, l, m are respectively integers in the range 0 to 3. X is an oxygen atom, or a sulfur atom.

Abstract: In a method for displaying an image: a polarization inversion pattern is produced in a ferroelectric member in accordance with image information so as to produce a surface charge pattern corresponding to the polarization inversion pattern; and an image contrast is produced in a contrast production member by the influence of the surface charge pattern, where the contrast production member is joined to the ferroelectric member. The polarization inversion pattern may be produced by heating the ferroelectric member so as to produce a heat distribution corresponding to the image information in the ferroelectric member. Further, the ferroelectric member may be heated by applying infrared light carrying the image information to the ferroelectric member.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising a surface layer excellent in adhesiveness and abrasion resistance, having a hardness and a toughness, and not degrading the charge transport property. One aspect of the present invention provides an electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising a photosensitive layer on a conductive support, wherein a surface layer of the photosensitive member contains a crosslinked epoxy-modified resol type phenolic resin, and at least one of a charge transport material and a conductive fine particle.