Electrophotographic member, process cartridge, and electrophotographic image forming apparatus

An electrophotographic member comprising:

• a substrate having a conductive surface;
• an elastic layer on the conductive surface of the substrate;
• and
• a surface layer which is in contact with a surface of the elastic layer on an opposite side to a surface that faces the substrate, wherein
• the surface layer comprises an electronic conductive agent,
• a metal film is provided on an outer surface of the surface layer of the electrophotographic member, and in an environment with a temperature of 23° C. and a relative humidity of 50%, impedance between the conductive surface of the substrate and the metal film is in a range of 1.0×103 to 1.0×108Ω, when an AC voltage with an amplitude of 1 V and a frequency of 1.0 Hz is applied,
• the elastic layer comprises an insulating first phase comprising at least a crosslinked product of a first rubber, and a second phase comprising conductive particles and a crosslinked product of a second rubber different from the first rubber,
• a thickness of the elastic layer is at least 10 μm,
• the elastic layer has a matrix-domain structure in which domains composed of the second phase is dispersed in a matrix composed of the first phase in a region of at least 5 μm in a depth direction to the elastic layer from an interface between the elastic layer and the surface layer,
• a region having a thickness of 1 μm from an interface between the elastic layer and the surface layer to a position of 1 μm in a depth direction to the elastic layer is defined as a region A, and a region having a thickness of 1 μm from the interface to a position of 5 to 6 μm in a depth direction to the elastic layer is defined as a region B,
• when a first surface of the elastic layer in the region A is exposed and a square first observation region having a side of 100 μm is placed on the first surface by a scanning electron microscope, the first observation region comprises at least the second phase,
• a ratio value (AR12/AR11) of a total area AR12 of the second phase in the first observation region relative to an area AR11 of the first observation region is more than 0.40, and
• when a second surface of the elastic layer in the region B is exposed and a square second observation region having a side of 100 μm is placed on the second surface by a scanning electron microscope, the matrix-domain structure is observed in the second observation region, and a ratio value (AR22/AR21) of a total area AR22 of the second phase in the second observation region relative to an area AR21 of the second observation region is 0.40 or less.