Electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge, and electrophotographic apparatus

A process cartridge comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member and at least one unit selected from the group consisting of a charging unit, a developing unit and a cleaning unit,

• the process cartridge integrally supporting the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the at least one unit, and being detachably attachable to a main body of an electrophotographic apparatus,
• the electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising:
• a support;
• and
• a surface layer, the surface layer comprises a cured product of a composition containing an organic salt having a polymerizable functional group and at least one member selected from the group consisting of a charge-transportable compound and an electroconductive particle, wherein
• the organic salt is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of formulae (A)-(E)
• where Ra1 and Ra3 independently represent a single bond or an alkylene group having 8 or less carbon atoms that may have a hydroxy group as a substituent,
• Ra2 represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group or an ethyl group,
• Za1 and Za2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an acryloyloxy group, a methacryloyloxy group, a vinyl group, a hydroxy group, a carboxy group, a thiol group or an amino group, provided that at least one of Za1 or Za2 represents an acryloyloxy group, a methacryloyloxy group or a vinyl group,
• Rb1, Rb3 and Rb4 independently represent a single bond or an alkylene group having 8 or less carbon atoms that may have a hydroxy group as a substituent,
• Rb2 represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group or an ethyl group,
• Zb1, Zb2 and Zb3 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an acryloyloxy group, a methacryloyloxy group, a vinyl group, a hydroxy group, a carboxy group, a thiol group or an amino group, provided that at least one of Zb1, Zb2 or Zb3 represents an acryloyloxy group, a methacryloyloxy group or a vinyl group,
• Rc1 and Rc2 independently represent a single bond or an alkylene group having 8 or less carbon atoms that may have a hydroxy group as a substituent,
• Zc1 and Zc2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an acryloyloxy group, a methacryloyloxy group, a vinyl group, a hydroxy group, a carboxy group a thiol group, or an amino group, provided that at least one of Zc1 or Zc2 represents an acryloyloxy group, a methacryloyloxy group or a vinyl group,
• n represents 1 or 2, and
• Rd1 and Rd2 independently represent a single bond, or an alkylene group having 8 or less carbon atoms that may have a hydroxy group as a substituent,
• Rd3 and Rd4 independently represent an alkyl group having 8 or less carbon atoms that may have a hydroxy group as a substituent,
• Zd1 and Zd2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an acryloyloxy group, a methacryloyloxy group, a vinyl group, a hydroxy group, a carboxy group, a thiol group or an amino group, provided that at least one of Zd1 or Zd2 represents an acryloyloxy group, a methacryloyloxy group or a vinyl group,
• Re1 and Re2 independently represent a single bond or an alkylene group having 8 or less carbon atoms that may have a hydroxy group as a substituent,
• Re3 and Re4 independently represent an alkyl group having 8 or less carbon atoms that may have a hydroxy group as a substituent,
• Ze1 and Ze2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an acryloyloxy group, a methacryloyloxy group, a vinyl group, a hydroxy group, a carboxy group, a thiol group or an amino group, provided that at least one of Ze1 or Ze2 represents an acryloyloxy group, a methacryloyloxy group or a vinyl group, and
• X− represents BF4−, PF6−, (CF3SO2)2N−, CF3SO3−, (FSO2) N−, C2H5OSO3−, (CN)2N−, SCN−, CH3COO−, NO3−, Cl−, Br− or I−.

An electrophotographic apparatus comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging unit, an exposing unit, a developing unit and a transferring unit,

• the electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising:
• a support;
• and
• a surface layer, the surface layer comprises a cured product of a composition containing an organic salt having a polymerizable functional group and at least one member selected from the group consisting of a charge-transportable compound and an electroconductive particle, wherein
• the organic salt is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of formulae (A)-(E)
• where Ra1 and Ra3 independently represent a single bond or an alkylene group having 8 or less carbon atoms that may have a hydroxy group as a substituent,
• Ra2 represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group or an ethyl group,
• Za1 and Za2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an acryloyloxy group, a methacryloyloxy group, a vinyl group, a hydroxy group, a carboxy group, a thiol group or an amino group, provided that at least one of Za1 or Za2 represents an acryloyloxy group, a methacryloyloxy group or a vinyl group,
• Rb1, Rb3 and Rb4 independently represent a single bond or an alkylene group having 8 or less carbon atoms that may have a hydroxy group as a substituent,
• Rb2 represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group or an ethyl group,
• Zb1, Zb2 and Zb3 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an acryloyloxy group, a methacryloyloxy group, a vinyl group, a hydroxy group, a carboxy group, a thiol group or an amino group, provided that at least one of Zb1, Zb2 or Zb3 represents an acryloyloxy group, a methacryloyloxy group or a vinyl group,
• Rc1 and Rc2 independently represent a single bond or an alkylene group having 8 or less carbon atoms that may have a hydroxy group as a substituent,
• Zc1 and Zc2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an acryloyloxy group, a methacryloyloxy group, a vinyl group, a hydroxy group, a carboxy group a thiol group, or an amino group, provided that at least one of Zc1 or Zc2 represents an acryloyloxy group, a methacryloyloxy group or a vinyl group,
• n represents 1 or 2, and
• Rd1 and Rd2 independently represent a single bond, or an alkylene group having 8 or less carbon atoms that may have a hydroxy group as a substituent,
• Rd3 and Rd4 independently represent an alkyl group having 8 or less carbon atoms that may have a hydroxy group as a substituent,
• Zd1 and Zd2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an acryloyloxy group, a methacryloyloxy group, a vinyl group, a hydroxy group, a carboxy group, a thiol group or an amino group, provided that at least one of Zd1 or Zd2 represents an acryloyloxy group, a methacryloyloxy group or a vinyl group,
• Re1 and Re2 independently represent a single bond or an alkylene group having 8 or less carbon atoms that may have a hydroxy group as a substituent,
• Re3 and Re4 independently represent an alkyl group having 8 or less carbon atoms that may have a hydroxy group as a substituent,
• Ze1 and Ze2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an acryloyloxy group, a methacryloyloxy group, a vinyl group, a hydroxy group, a carboxy group, a thiol group or an amino group, provided that at least one of Ze1 or Ze2 represents an acryloyloxy group, a methacryloyloxy group or a vinyl group, and X− represents BF4−, PF6−, (CF3SO2)2N−, CF3SO3−, (FSO2)N−, C2H5OSO3−, (CN)2N−, SCN−, CH3COO−, NO3−, Cl−, Br− or I−.