Electrophotographic member, process cartridge, and electrophotographic apparatus

A process cartridge, comprising an electrophotographic member, the process cartridge being removably mounted onto a main body of an electrophotographic apparatus, wherein:

• the electrophotographic member includes
• an electro-conductive substrate and
• an electro-conductive resin layer serving as a surface layer on the substrate;
• the surface layer contains
• a urethane resin and
• a first polymer having at least one structure selected from the group consisting of structures represented by the following structural formulae (1) to (6):
• in the structural formulae (1) to (6),
• R1, R5, R10, R13, R16, and R20 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group,
• R2 and R6 each independently represent a hydrocarbon chain having 2 to 4 carbon atoms,
• R3 and R4 each independently represent a methyl group or an ethyl group,
• R7, R8, and R9 each independently represent a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms,
• R11, R14, R17, and R21 each independently represent a single bond or a hydrocarbon chain having 1 to 6 carbon atoms,
• R12, R15, R18, and R22 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms,
• R19 and R23 each independently represent a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 13 carbon atoms, and
• A−'s each independently represent a halogen ion or a p-toluenesulfonate ion;
• the urethane resin has one of a structure derived from a second polymer containing a fluorine atom, and a structure derived from a third polymer containing a fluorine atom and a silicon atom;
• wherein,
• in a region from an outer surface of the surface layer to a depth of 300 nm,
• a ratio of a total number of nitrogen atoms derived from the structures represented by the structural formulae (1) to (6) in the first polymer to a total number of atoms measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA), is 0.1 atomic % or more and 7.0 atomic % or less,
• and wherein, when,
• in a region from a depth of 100 nm from the outer surface of the surface layer to a depth of 300 nm,
• a ratio of a total number of nitrogen atoms derived from the structures represented by the structural formulae (1) to (6) in the first polymer to a total number of atoms measured by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA) is defined as Nna,
• a ratio of a number of fluorine atoms derived from the urethane resin to the total number of the atoms measured by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA) is defined as Fna, and
• a ratio of a number of silicon atoms derived from the urethane resin to the total number of the atoms measured by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA) is defined as Sina;
• and
• in a region from the outer surface of the surface layer to a depth of 10 nm,
• a ratio of a total number of nitrogen atoms derived from the structures represented by the structural formulae (1) to (6) in the first polymer to a total number of atoms measured by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA) is defined as Nnb,
• a ratio of a number of fluorine atoms derived from the urethane resin to the total number of the atoms measured by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA) is defined as Fnb, and
• a ratio of a number of silicon atoms derived from the urethane resin to the total number of the atoms measured by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA) is defined as Sinb,
• the Nna, the Fna, the Sina, the Nnb, the Fnb, and the Sinb satisfy relationships represented by the following expression (1) and the following expression (2):
• (Fna+Sina)<(Fnb+Sinb) Expression (1)
• Nna>Nnb. Expression (2)

An electrophotographic apparatus, comprising an electrophotographic member, wherein:

• the electrophotographic member includes
• an electro-conductive substrate and
• an electro-conductive resin layer serving as a surface layer on the substrate;
• the surface layer contains
• a urethane resin and
• a first polymer having at least one structure selected from the group consisting of structures represented by the following structural formulae (1) to (6):
• in the structural formulae (1) to (6),
• R1, R5, R10, R13, R16, and R20 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group,
• R2 and R6 each independently represent a hydrocarbon chain having 2 to 4 carbon atoms,
• R3 and R4 each independently represent a methyl group or an ethyl group,
• R7, R8, and R9 each independently represent a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms,
• R11, R14, R17, and R21 each independently represent a single bond or a hydrocarbon chain having 1 to 6 carbon atoms,
• R12, R15, R18, and R22 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms,
• R19 and R23 each independently represent a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 13 carbon atoms, and
• A−'s each independently represent a halogen ion or a p-toluenesulfonate ion;
• the urethane resin has one of a structure derived from a second polymer containing a fluorine atom, and a structure derived from a third polymer containing a fluorine atom and a silicon atom;
• wherein,
• in a region from an outer surface of the surface layer to a depth of 300 nm,
• a ratio of a total number of nitrogen atoms derived from the structures represented by the structural formulae (1) to (6) in the first polymer to a total number of atoms measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA), is 0.1 atomic % or more and 7.0 atomic % or less,
• and wherein, when,
• in a region from a depth of 100 nm from the outer surface of the surface layer to a depth of 300 nm,
• a ratio of a total number of nitrogen atoms derived from the structures represented by the structural formulae (1) to (6) in the first polymer to a total number of atoms measured by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA) is defined as Nna,
• a ratio of a number of fluorine atoms derived from the urethane resin to the total number of the atoms measured by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA) is defined as Fna, and
• a ratio of a number of silicon atoms derived from the urethane resin to the total number of the atoms measured by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA) is defined as Sina;
• and
• in a region from the outer surface of the surface layer to a depth of 10 nm,
• a ratio of a total number of nitrogen atoms derived from the structures represented by the structural formulae (1) to (6) in the first polymer to a total number of atoms measured by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA) is defined as Nnb,
• a ratio of a number of fluorine atoms derived from the urethane resin to the total number of the atoms measured by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA) is defined as Fnb, and
• a ratio of a number of silicon atoms derived from the urethane resin to the total number of the atoms measured by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA) is defined as Sinb,
• the Nna, the Fna, the Sina, the Nnb, the Fnb, and the Sinb satisfy relationships represented by the following expression (1) and the following expression (2):
• (Fna+Sina)<(Fnb+Sinb) Expression (1)
• Nna>Nnb. Expression (2)