Electrophotographic photosensitive member, electrophotographic apparatus, process cartridge, and method of producing electrophotographic photosensitive member

An electrophotographic apparatus comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging unit, an exposing unit, a developing unit and a transfer unit, wherein
• the electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a support, a photosensitive layer above the support, and a surface layer that includes a copolymerization product of a composition containing a hole transporting compound represented by Formula (1) and a compound represented by Formula (2):
• where R1 and R2 independently represent an alkyl group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, R3 and R4 independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 4 or less carbon atoms, R11 and R13 independently represent an alkylene group having 3 to 6 carbon atoms, and R12 and R14 independently represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and
• where R21 and R22 independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted benzyl group, the substituent of the benzyl group is an alkyl group having 4 or less carbon atoms, R21 and R22 may be bonded to each other to form a ring, R23 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and R24 and R25 independently represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group.

A method of producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member including a support and a photosensitive layer above the support, the method comprising:

• (i) forming a coating film of a coating solution composition for a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, said composition containing a hole transporting compound represented by Formula (1) and a compound represented by Formula (2):
• where R1 and R2 independently represent an alkyl group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, R3 and R4 independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 4 or less carbon atoms, R11 and R13 independently represent an alkylene group having 3 to 6 carbon atoms, and R12 and R14 independently represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and
• where R21 and R22 independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted benzyl group, the substituent of the benzyl group is an alkyl group having 4 or less carbon atoms, R21 and R22 may be bonded to each other to form a ring, R23 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and R24 and R25 independently represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group;
• and
• (ii) forming the surface layer by a copolymerization reaction of the coating solution composition in the coating film.