Fixing device and image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a toner image forming unit that forms a toner image;
• a transfer unit that transfers the toner image formed by the toner image forming unit onto a recording medium;
• and
• a fixing unit that fixes, to the recording medium, the toner image transferred onto the recording medium,
• the fixing unit containing:
• a fixing member that includes a conductive layer, and fixes toner on the recording medium by heat generation of the conductive layer by electromagnetic induction;
• a magnetic field generating member that generates an alternate-current magnetic field intersecting with the conductive layer of the fixing member;
• and
• a magnetic path forming member that has an outer circumferential surface arranged to be in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member, that forms a magnetic path of the alternate-current magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating member, and that includes:
• a magnetic layer configured to have a changing range within a temperature range of about 20 degrees C., the changing range allowing a magnetic property of the magnetic layer to change between a ferromagnetic property and a paramagnetic property in accordance with temperature;
• and an outer circumferential layer made of any one of or both chromium nitride represented by a chemical formula of CrN and chromium nitride represented by a chemical formula of Cr2N.