JP4272747B2 - Electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge, and electrophotographic apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a process cartridge, and an electrophotographic apparatus, and more specifically, an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a surface layer containing a specific resin and a charge transport material, a process cartridge having the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and electrophotography. Relates to the device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the electrophotographic method, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,297,691, the electric resistance changes in accordance with the amount of irradiation received during image exposure, and the support is coated with an insulating substance in the dark. The photoconductive material is made of. As basic characteristics required for an electrophotographic photoreceptor using this photoconductive material,
(1) It can be charged to an appropriate potential in the dark.
(2) Less charge dissipation in the dark,
(3) Dissipate charges quickly by light irradiation,
Etc.
[0003]
Conventionally, as an electrophotographic photoreceptor, an inorganic photoreceptor having a photosensitive layer mainly composed of an inorganic photoconductive compound such as selenium, zinc oxide or cadmium sulfide has been widely used. However, although these conditions (1) to (3) are satisfied, they are not always satisfactory in terms of thermal stability, moisture resistance, durability, productivity, and the like.
[0004]
In order to overcome the drawbacks of inorganic photoreceptors, electrophotographic photoreceptors based on various organic photoconductive compounds as main components have been actively developed in recent years. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,378,851 discloses a photoreceptor having a charge transport layer containing triarylpyrazoline, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,880 discloses a charge generating layer comprising a derivative of perylene pigment, 3-propylene and formaldehyde. Photoconductors comprising a charge transport layer comprising a condensate of each are disclosed.
[0005]
Furthermore, the organic photoconductive compound can freely select the photosensitive wavelength range of the electrophotographic photosensitive member depending on the type of the compound. For example, for azo pigments, JP-A 61-272754 and JP-A The substance disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 56-167759 shows high sensitivity in the visible region. Further, the compounds disclosed in JP-A-57-19576 and JP-A-61-228453 are disclosed to have sensitivity to the infrared region.
[0006]
Among these materials, those showing sensitivity in the infrared region are used in laser beam printers (hereinafter abbreviated as LBP) and LED printers that have made remarkable progress in recent years, and the demand frequency thereof is increasing. Electrophotographic photoreceptors using these organic photoconductive compounds are used as function-separated photoreceptors in which a charge transport layer and a charge generation layer are laminated in order to satisfy both electrical and mechanical properties. There are many cases. On the other hand, as a matter of course, the electrophotographic photosensitive member is required to have sensitivity, electrical characteristics, and optical characteristics according to the applied electrophotographic process.
[0007]
In particular, in an electrophotographic photoreceptor that is repeatedly used, the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor is directly subjected to electrical and mechanical external forces such as corona or direct charging, image exposure, toner development, transfer process, and surface cleaning. , Durability against them is also required.
[0008]
Specifically, it can be used for electrical degradation caused by ozone and nitrogen oxides during charging, mechanical degradation in which the surface is worn or scratched due to discharge during charging, and rubbing of the cleaning member, and electrical degradation. Durability is required. The electrical deterioration is particularly a phenomenon in which carriers are accumulated in a portion irradiated with light and a potential difference is generated between the portion not irradiated with light, which occurs as a photo memory.
[0009]
In particular, organic photoreceptors, which are often materially soft unlike inorganic photoreceptors, are poor in durability against mechanical deterioration, and improvement in durability is particularly desired. Various attempts have been made to satisfy the durability characteristics required for the photoreceptor as described above.
[0010]
Polycarbonate resin with skeleton of bisphenol A is attracting attention as a resin that is often used for the surface layer and has good wear resistance and electrical properties. However, it does not solve all the above-mentioned problems. It has the following problems.
[0011]
(1) These solvents are poor in solubility, exhibit only good solubility in a part of halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons such as dichloromethane and 1,2-dichloroethane, and these solvents have low boiling points. When a photoconductor is produced using the coating solution prepared in (1), the coated surface is likely to be whitened, so that it takes time to manage the solid content of the coating solution.
[0012]
(2) For solvents other than halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons, it is partially soluble in tetrahydrafuran, dioxane, cyclohexanone or mixed solvents thereof, but the solution gels in several days, etc. It has poor aging properties and is not suitable for the production of a photoreceptor.
[0013]
(3) Furthermore, even if the above (1) and (2) are improved, solvent cracks are likely to occur in the polycarbonate resin having bisphenol A as a skeleton.
[0014]
(4) In addition, in the conventional polycarbonate resin, the film formed of the resin has poor lubricity, so that the photoconductor is easily scratched, and image defects are caused in a cleaning setting that reduces the wear amount of the electrophotographic photoconductor. Or cleaning failure due to early deterioration of the cleaning blade, toner fusion, and the like may occur.
[0015]
Regarding the solution stability mentioned in the above (1) and (2), a polycarbonate Z resin having a bulky cyclohexylene group is used as a polymer structural unit, or copolymerization with bisphenol Z, bisphenol C or the like is performed. It has been solved.
[0016]
Solvent cracks can also be solved by using silicone-modified polycarbonate or ether-modified polycarbonate as disclosed in JP-A-6-51544 and JP-A-6-75415. However, these modified polycarbonates have a structure that is more flexible with respect to internal stresses in the polymer in order to prevent solvent cracks than conventional polycarbonate resins. There was a drawback that the mechanical strength was reduced.
[0017]
In recent years, a direct charging method in which a voltage is directly applied to a charging member and a charge is applied to an electrophotographic photosensitive member as disclosed in JP-A-57-17826 and JP-A-58-40566 has become mainstream. It's getting on. This is a method in which a roller-shaped charging member made of conductive rubber or the like is directly brought into contact with the electrophotographic photosensitive member to apply a charge. Compared with a scorotron or the like, the amount of ozone generated is significantly smaller. About 80% of the current flowing through the device is wasted because it flows to the shield, whereas direct charging has the merit of being very economical because there is no wasted amount.
[0018]
However, direct charging has the disadvantage that charging stability is very poor because of charging by discharge according to Paschen's law. As a countermeasure, a so-called AC / DC charging method in which an AC voltage is superimposed on a DC voltage has been proposed (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-149668).
[0019]
Although this charging system improved the stability during charging, the amount of discharge on the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member increased significantly due to the superposition of AC, and the amount of abrasion of the electrophotographic photosensitive member increased. As a result, not only mechanical strength but also electrical strength has been demanded.
[0020]
For this reason, various proposals have been made to adopt a resin having improved wear resistance in place of the polycarbonate resin which is currently mainstream. As an alternative resin for polycarbonate, there is an aromatic polyester resin (disclosed in JP-A-9-62017). However, the mechanical strength is improved and the production is easy, but the life of the photoreceptor is longer than that of the conventional one. There is a need to maintain good electrophotographic properties for longer periods.
[0021]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
An object of the present invention is to provide an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a solvent crack resistance, a high mechanical strength, capable of maintaining electrophotographic characteristics for a long period of time, and easy to manufacture. A process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus are provided.
[0022]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
An electrophotographic photosensitive member having a conductive support and a photosensitive layer formed on the conductive support, wherein the surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a polymer having a structural unit represented by the following general formula (1): An electrophotographic photosensitive member containing a compound represented by the following general formula (2), a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus having the electrophotographic photosensitive member are provided.
[0023]
[Formula 4]
[0024]
In Formula (1), X ¹ is —CR ⁹ R ¹⁰ — (wherein R ⁹ and R ¹⁰ are each independently a hydrogen atom, a trifluoromethyl group, a C 1-6 alkyl group, or a C 6-12 aryl group. Group), an optionally substituted 1,1-cycloalkylene group having 5 to 11 carbon atoms, an α, ω-alkylene group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, a single bond, —O—, —S—, — SO- or -SO ₂ - it is. R ^{1 to} R ⁸ are each independently a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or an optionally substituted alkyl group, aryl group or alkylene group.
[0025]
In formula (1), examples of the alkyl group include a methyl group, an ethyl group, and a propyl group. Examples of the aryl group include a phenyl group and a naphthyl group. Examples of the cycloalkylene group include a cyclohexylene group and a cycloheptylene group. Examples of the α, ω-alkylene group include a 1,2-ethylene group, a 1,3-propylene group, and a 1,4-butylene group. Examples of the alkylene group include an ethylene group and a propylene group. Examples of the halogen atom include a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom or a bromine atom.
[0026]
The single bond means that the benzene rings on both sides of X ¹ are directly bonded, and examples include structural unit example 7 described later.
[0027]
[Chemical formula 5]
[0028]
In the formula (2), R ¹¹ represents a partial bond of a 5-membered ring which may have a substituent formed through one of R ¹² . The 5-membered ring is a pyrrole group. R ^{12 to} R ¹⁴ represent a halogen atom or an alkyl group, aralkyl group, aryl group or alkoxy group which may have a substituent. k, m and n each independently represent an integer of 0 to 5. R ¹⁵ represents an alkyl group, aryl group or aralkyl group which may have a substituent.
[0029]
In general formula (2), examples of the alkyl group include a methyl group, an ethyl group, a t-butyl group, and an n-propyl group. Examples of the aryl group include a phenyl group and a naphthyl group. Examples of the aralkyl group include a benzyl group, a phenethyl group, and a naphthylmethylene group. The 5-membered ring formed with R ¹¹ via one of R ¹² is a pyrrole group, but a case of a carbazole group structure with a benzene ring is preferred. Examples of the halogen atom include chlorine, bromine and fluorine. Examples of the alkoxy group include a methoxy group, an ethoxy group, and a phenoxy group.
[0030]
Examples of the substituent that these groups may have include a halogen atom such as a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom or a bromine atom, an alkyl group such as a methyl group, an ethyl group or a propyl group, a phenyl group, a naphthyl group or an anthryl group. Examples thereof include an aralkyl group such as an aryl group, a benzyl group or a phenethyl group, or an alkoxy group such as a methoxy group, an ethoxy group or a propoxy group.
[0031]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.
[0032]
The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to the present invention has particularly excellent solvent crack resistance and mechanical strength by selecting a combination of a specific resin and a charge transport material as the resin and charge transport material forming the surface layer. In addition, good electrophotographic characteristics can be maintained over the lifetime of the long photosensitive member.
[0033]
Specific examples of the structural unit represented by the general formula (1) used in the present invention are shown below, but are not limited thereto.
[0034]
[Table 1]
[0035]
[Table 2]
[0036]
Preferred examples include constitutional unit examples 1, 2 and 7. In the case of a polymer composed of the same constitutional unit, the polymer comprising constitutional unit example 1 is particularly preferred, and two or more general formulas are used. In the case of the copolymer composed of different structural units represented by (1), the copolymer composed of structural unit example 1 and structural unit example 2 is particularly preferred.
[0037]
In the electrophotographic photosensitive member of the present invention, a polymer composed of the same structural unit represented by the general formula (1) is composed of two or more different structural units represented by the general formula (1). A copolymer may be used.
[0038]
The polymer having the structural unit represented by the general formula (1) used in the present invention usually increases the solubility of the bisphenol represented by the following general formula (7), so that terephthalic acid chloride / isophthalic acid chloride In the presence of the mixture and alkali, it can be easily produced by interfacial polymerization by stirring in a solvent / water mixture.
[0039]
The ratio of terephthalic acid chloride to isophthalic acid chloride is usually determined in consideration of the solubility of the polymer, but there is no established theory. However, if any chloride is 30 mol% or less, the solubility of the synthesized polymer is extremely lowered, which is not preferable. Usually, it is preferable to synthesize at a ratio of 1/1.
[0040]
[Chemical 6]
[0041]
In formula (7), X ² represents —CR ²⁹ R ³⁰ — (wherein R ²⁹ and R ³⁰ each independently represents a hydrogen atom, a trifluoromethyl group, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or an aryl having 6 to 12 carbon atoms). Group), an optionally substituted 1,1-cycloalkylene group having 5 to 11 carbon atoms, an α, ω-alkylene group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, a single bond, —O—, —S—, — SO- or -SO ₂ - it is. R ^{21 to} R ²⁸ are each independently a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or an optionally substituted alkyl group, aryl group or alkylene group.
[0042]
Among the compounds represented by the general formula (2), preferred examples include those having the following structures.
[0043]
[Table 3]
[0044]
Preferred examples of the compound include those having the structural formula (2-8). In the electrophotographic photoreceptor of the present invention, one type of the compound represented by the general formula (2) may be used, or two or more types may be mixed and used.
[0045]
The configuration of the electrophotographic photoreceptor used in the present invention will be described below.
[0046]
The electrophotographic photoreceptor in the present invention has a photosensitive layer on a support. The photosensitive layer may be a single layer type containing a charge transport material and a charge generation material in the same layer, or a laminate type separated into a charge transport layer and a charge generation layer. Is preferred.
[0047]
The support to be used only needs to have conductivity, and examples thereof include metals such as aluminum and stainless steel, metals provided with a conductive layer, paper, plastics, and the like, and examples of the shape include sheets and cylinders. .
[0048]
When exposure light such as LBP is laser light, a conductive layer may be provided between the support and the photosensitive layer for the purpose of preventing interference fringes due to scattering or covering scratches on the substrate. This can be formed by dispersing conductive powder such as carbon black and metal particles in a binder resin. The thickness of the conductive layer is preferably 5 to 40 μm, more preferably 10 to 30 μm.
[0049]
Further thereon, an intermediate layer having an adhesive function and a barrier function is provided. Examples of the material for the intermediate layer include polyamide, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene oxide, ethyl cellulose, casein, polyurethane, polyether urethane, and the like. These are dissolved in a suitable solvent and applied. The thickness of the intermediate layer is preferably 0.05 to 5 μm, more preferably 0.3 to 1 μm.
[0050]
A charge generation layer is formed on the intermediate layer. Examples of the charge generation material used in the present invention include selenium-tellurium, pyrylium, thiapyrylium dyes, phthalocyanine, anthanthrone, dibenzpyrenequinone, trisazo, cyanine, disazo, monoazo, indigo, quinacridone, and asymmetric quinocyanine. And pigments.
[0051]
In the case of the functional separation type, the charge generation layer is composed of a homogenizer, an ultrasonic dispersion, a ball mill, a vibration ball mill, a sand mill, an attritor, a roll mill, and a liquid collision type with the charge generation material 0.3 to 4 times the binder resin and solvent. It is formed by applying and drying a dispersion sufficiently dispersed by a method such as a high-speed disperser. The thickness of the charge generation layer is preferably 5 μm or less, more preferably 0.1 to 2 μm.
[0052]
The charge transport layer is formed by applying and drying a paint in which a charge transport material mainly composed of the present invention and a binder resin are dissolved in a solvent. Examples of the charge transport material used include a compound represented by the general formula (2). These are combined with 0.5 to 2 times the amount of the binder resin, coated and dried to form a charge transport layer. The thickness of the charge transport layer is preferably 5 to 40 μm, more preferably 15 to 35 μm.
[0053]
FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an electrophotographic apparatus using a process cartridge having the electrophotographic photosensitive member of the present invention.
[0054]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a drum-shaped electrophotographic photosensitive member of the present invention, which is rotationally driven around a shaft 2 in a direction indicated by an arrow at a predetermined peripheral speed. In the rotation process, the photosensitive member 1 is uniformly charged at a predetermined positive or negative potential on its peripheral surface by the primary charging unit 3 and then output from an exposure unit (not shown) such as slit exposure or laser beam scanning exposure. The exposure light 4 that is emphasized and modulated corresponding to the time-series electrical digital image signal of the target image information is received. In this way, electrostatic latent images corresponding to target image information are sequentially formed on the peripheral surface of the photoreceptor 1.
[0055]
The formed electrostatic latent image is then developed with toner by the developing unit 5 and is taken out from a sheet feeding unit (not shown) between the photosensitive member 1 and the transfer unit 6 in synchronization with the rotation of the photosensitive member 1 and fed. The toner images formed and supported on the surface of the photoreceptor 1 are sequentially transferred onto the transfer material 7 by the transfer means 6.
[0056]
The transfer material 7 that has received the transfer of the toner image is separated from the surface of the photosensitive member, introduced into the image fixing means 8, and subjected to image fixing, thereby being printed out as an image formed product (print, copy).
[0057]
After the image transfer, the surface of the photoreceptor 1 is cleaned by removing the transfer residual toner by the cleaning unit 9 and further subjected to charge removal processing by the pre-exposure light 10 from the pre-exposure unit (not shown), and then repeatedly. Used for image formation. When the primary charging unit 3 is a contact charging unit using a charging roller or the like, pre-exposure is not always necessary.
[0058]
In the present invention, among the above-described components such as the electrophotographic photosensitive member 1, the primary charging unit 3, the developing unit 5 and the cleaning unit 9, a plurality of components are housed in a container 11 and integrally combined as a process cartridge. The process cartridge may be configured to be detachable from an electrophotographic apparatus main body such as a copying machine or a laser beam printer. For example, at least one of the primary charging unit 3, the developing unit 5, and the cleaning unit 9 is integrally supported together with the photosensitive member 1 to form a cartridge, and can be detachably attached to the apparatus main body using a guide unit 12 such as a rail of the apparatus main body. It can be a process cartridge.
[0059]
Further, when the electrophotographic apparatus is a copying machine or a printer, the exposure light 4 is reflected or transmitted light from the original, or the original is read by a sensor and converted into a signal, and a laser beam scanning performed according to this signal is performed. Light emitted by driving the LED array, driving the liquid crystal shutter array, or the like.
[0060]
The electrophotographic photoreceptor of the present invention can be used not only in electrophotographic copying machines but also widely in electrophotographic application fields such as laser beam printers, CRT printers, LED printers, FAX, liquid crystal printers, and laser plate making. .
[0061]
【Example】
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to specific examples. In addition, "part" in an Example shows a weight part.
[0062]
(Reference Example 1)
A 30 mmφ × 357 mm aluminum cylinder is used as a support, and a coating liquid composed of the following materials is applied on the support by a dipping method, thermally cured at 140 ° C. for 30 minutes, and a film thickness of 15 μm. A layer was formed.
[0063]
Conductive pigment: SnO ₂ coated barium sulfate 10 parts Resistance adjusting pigment: Titanium oxide 2 parts Binder resin: Phenol resin 6 parts Leveling material: Silicone oil 0.001 part Solvent: Methanol / methoxypropanol 0.2 / 0.8 20 copies [0064]
Next, a solution prepared by dissolving 3 parts of N-methoxymethylated nylon and 3 parts of copolymer nylon in a mixed solvent of 65 parts of methanol / 30 parts of n-butanol was applied by a dipping method to a film thickness of 0.5 μm. An intermediate layer was formed.
[0065]
Next, oxytitanium phthalocyanine (TiOPc) having strong peaks at 9.0 °, 14.2 °, 23.9 ° and 27.1 ° of the Bragg angle (2θ ± 0.2 °) of the characteristic X-ray diffraction of CuKα. ) After 4 parts and 2 parts of polyvinyl butyral (trade name: ESREC BM2, manufactured by Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.) and 60 parts of cyclohexanone were dispersed in a sand mill using 1 mmφ glass beads for 4 hours, 100 parts of ethyl acetate was added for the charge generation layer. A dispersion was prepared. This was applied by a dipping method to form a charge generation layer having a thickness of 0.1 μm.
[0066]
Then, the conditions of Table 4 No. 8 parts of charge transport material described in Table 1 and Condition No. 11 parts of the polymer described in 1 was dissolved in a mixed solvent of 30 parts of monochlorobenzene / 70 parts of dichloromethane to prepare a dispersion for a charge transport layer. This dispersion was applied by a dipping method and dried at 120 ° C. for 2 hours to form a charge transport layer having a thickness of 30 μm.
[0067]
The above polymer is prepared by dissolving predetermined biphenol (0.01 mol) in sodium hydroxide (0.8 g) tetramethylammonium chloride (1 g) in 100 ml of pure water and putting it in a 1 liter mixer, and then adding 1,2-dichloroethane. A solution of terephthalic acid chloride (0.005 mol) and isophthalic acid chloride (0.005 mol) in (30 ml) was added with stirring, stirred at high speed for 10 minutes and allowed to stand for 2 hours, then 1,2-dichloroethane liquid Was recovered, and a large amount of hexane was added to this to recover it as a polymer. In addition, after collection | recovery, what performed the purification process by water washing | cleaning, chloroform dissolution, and methanol dripping was used.
[0068]
Next, evaluation will be described. The apparatus used was a Canon LBP-930 {modified process speed (drum peripheral speed) to 240 mm / second and laser light quantity to 0.3 μJ / cm ² in terms of surface light quantity on the drum} and its process cartridge.
[0069]
The prepared electrophotographic photosensitive member was assembled in the process cartridge, and letter paper durability was performed in an environment of 12 ° C./12% RH using the above apparatus. The sequence was an intermittent mode that stopped once every three prints, and the printing rate was terminated when the endurance of repeated use of 30000 sheets of paper with 2% character images was completed. At this time, a pseudo residual potential (Vr: drum surface potential immediately after laser exposure for 30 revolutions after the primary charging was turned off) after the end of durability was measured.
[0070]
In addition, the same charge transport layer as in this reference example was coated on an aluminum sheet with a bar coater (coating solution composition / drying conditions / film thickness are all the same as in this reference example), and this charge transport layer sheet (CT sheet) The weight loss was measured with a Taber abrasion tester.
[0071]
For the Taber abrasion test method, refer to JIS K 7204 (1995) and No. 1 of Yasuda Seiki Seisakusho. Using a 101 Taber Type Abrasion Tester, equipped with # 2000 wrapping tape / weight 1000g manufactured by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., rotating at a rotation speed of 1 revolution / second, and measuring the weight reduction amount of the charge transport layer after 1000 revolutions did.
[0072]
Furthermore, as for the solvent crack resistance, sebum was attached to the surface and left for 48 hours, and the presence or absence of the solvent crack was observed by microscopic observation. The results are shown in Table 7 .
[0073]
(Examples 2 to 5, Reference Example 6, Examples 7 to 10, Reference Examples 11 and 12)
Conditions of Table 4 to the charge transport material in the charge transport layer No. No. 2 to 12 are used, and the condition No. in Table 6 is used for the binder resin. An electrophotographic photoreceptor / CT sheet was prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Reference Example 1 except that those of 2 to 12 were used. The results are shown in Table 7 .
[0074]
[ Table 4 ]
[Table 5]
[0075]
[ Table 6 ]
[0076]
[ Table 7 ]
[0077]
(Comparative Examples 1-4)
Comparative Examples 1 and 2 are compounds of the following structural formula (8), Comparative Example 3 is a charge transport material represented by Compound Example (2-4), and Comparative Example 4 is Compound Example (2). -5), and the binder resin was subjected to the condition No. 5 in Table 8 . An electrophotographic photosensitive member / CT sheet was prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Reference Example 1 except that ones 1 to 4 were used. The results are shown in Table 9 .
[0078]
[Chemical 7]
[0079]
[ Table 8 ]
[0080]
[ Table 9 ]
[0081]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, it has excellent solvent crack resistance without impairing mechanical strength, and is stable even during a long period of use, with high sensitivity and low residual potential. It has become possible to provide an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a wide allowable range, a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus having the electrophotographic photosensitive member.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of an electrophotographic apparatus using a process cartridge having the electrophotographic photosensitive member of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Photoconductor 2 axis | shaft 3 Charging means 4 Exposure light 5 Developing means 6 Transfer means 7 Transfer material 8 Fixing means 9 Cleaning means 10 Pre-exposure light 11 Process cartridge container 12 Guide means

Claims (4)

An electrophotographic photosensitive member having a conductive support and a photosensitive layer formed on the conductive support, wherein the surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a polymer having a structural unit represented by the following general formula (1): An electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising a compound represented by the following general formula (2):
(In the formula (1), ^{X 1} is ^-CR 9 ^{R 10} - (provided that ^{R 9} and ^{R 10} each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a trifluoromethyl group, 1 to 6 carbon atoms alkyl group or having 6 to 12 carbon atoms An aryl group), an optionally substituted 1,1-cycloalkylene group having 5 to 11 carbon atoms, an α, ω-alkylene group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, a single bond, —O—, —S—, —SO— or —SO ₂ —, and R ^{1 to} R ⁸ are each independently a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an optionally substituted alkyl group, an aryl group or an alkylene group.
(In the formula (2), R ¹¹ represents a partial bond of a 5-membered ring which may have a substituent formed through one of R ¹² , and the 5-membered ring is a pyrrole group. R ^{12 to} R ^{14 each} represents a halogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl group, aralkyl group, aryl group or alkoxy group, k, m and n each independently represent an integer of 0 to 5. R ¹⁵ Represents an alkyl group, aryl group or aralkyl group which may have a substituent. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, wherein the structural unit represented by the general formula (1) is a structural unit represented by the following structural formula (5).
  3. The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1 or 2, charging means for charging the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member with toner. Selected from the group consisting of developing means for forming a toner image thereon and cleaning means for removing toner remaining on the electrophotographic photosensitive member after the toner image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member is transferred to a transfer material. A process cartridge which integrally supports at least one means and is detachable from the main body of the electrophotographic apparatus.   The electrophotographic photosensitive member according to claim 1, charging means for charging the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and exposing the charged electrophotographic photosensitive member to form an electrostatic latent image on the electrophotographic photosensitive member. An exposure means for forming, a developing means for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member with toner to form a toner image on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and the electrophotographic photosensitive member formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member An electrophotographic apparatus comprising transfer means for transferring a toner image to a transfer material.