Image forming method, toner, developer, printed product, toner storage unit, and image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an electrostatic latent image bearer;
• an electrostatic latent image forming unit configured to form an electrostatic latent image on the electrostatic latent image bearer;
• a developing unit configured to develop the electrostatic latent image with a toner to form a visible image;
• a transferring unit configured to transfer the visible image onto a recording medium;
• and
• a fixing unit configured to fix the transferred visible image on the recording medium,
• wherein the toner includes toner base particles each including a binder resin, a release agent, and particles of an inorganic antibacterial antiviral agent, and the toner satisfies all of conditions (1) to (3) below, and
• wherein the image forming apparatus satisfies a relationship of
• 2.0X (micrometers)≤Z≤2.5X (micrometers)
• where X (micrometers) is a number average particle diameter of the particles of the inorganic antibacterial antiviral agent, and Z (micrometers) is a thickness of a layer of the toner fixed on the recording medium,
• Conditions
• (1) the number average particle diameter X of the particles of the inorganic antibacterial antiviral agent is 1.5 (micrometers)≤X≤2.5 (micrometers),
• (2) 3X (micrometers)≤Y≤4X (micrometers), where Y is a weight average particle diameter of the toner base particles, and
• (3) an amount of the inorganic antibacterial antiviral agent in the toner is 2.8% by mass or greater but 5.0% by mass or less.