Electrophotographic photosensitive member, and electrophotographic apparatus and process cartridge each including the electrophotographic photosensitive member

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 removably mounted onto a main body of an electrophotographic apparatus,
• wherein the electrophotographic photosensitive member includes an electroconductive support, and a photosensitive layer formed on the electroconductive support, and a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a copolymer of a hole-transportable compound having a polymerizable functional group and a compound represented by the following general formula (1):
• Ar1L1-P1)m (1)
• in the formula (1), Ar1 represents a group obtained by removing m hydrogen atoms in a compound represented by the following formula (2), L1 represents a divalent group represented by the formula (3) or the formula (4), P1 represents a polymerizable functional group, and m represents an integer of from 1 to 4, and when m represents 2 or more, L1's may be identical to or different from each other, and P1's may be identical to or different from each other;
• R1—R2—R3 (2)
• in the formula (2), R1 and R3 each independently represent a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted biphenylyl group, and R2 represents a single bond, a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group, or a substituted or unsubstituted biphenylylene group, and
• substituents of the phenyl group, the biphenylyl group, the phenylene group, and the biphenylylene group are each selected from a fluorine atom, a fluorinated alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a fluorinated alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and an alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and at least one of R1 to R3 has at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of the fluorine atom, the fluorinated alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and the fluorinated alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms;
• R4n (3)
• O—R5q (4)
• in the formula (3), R4 represents an alkylene group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and n represents 0 or 1;
• in the formula (4), R5 represents an alkylene group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and q represents an integer of from 1 to 4.

An electrophotographic apparatus comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a charging unit;
• an exposing unit;
• a developing unit;
• and
• a transferring unit,
• wherein the electrophotographic photosensitive member includes an electroconductive support, and a photosensitive layer formed on the electroconductive support, and a surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a copolymer of a hole-transportable compound having a polymerizable functional group and a compound represented by the following general formula (1):
• Ar1L1-P1)m (1)
• in the formula (1), Ar1 represents a group obtained by removing m hydrogen atoms in a compound represented by the following formula (2), L1 represents a divalent group represented by the formula (3) or the formula (4), P1 represents a polymerizable functional group, and m represents an integer of from 1 to 4, and when m represents 2 or more, L1's may be identical to or different from each other, and P1's may be identical to or different from each other;
• R1—R2—R3 (2)
• in the formula (2), R1 and R3 each independently represent a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted biphenylyl group, and R2 represents a single bond, a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group, or a substituted or unsubstituted biphenylylene group, and
• substituents of the phenyl group, the biphenylyl group, the phenylene group, and the biphenylylene group are each selected from a fluorine atom, a fluorinated alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a fluorinated alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and an alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and at least one of R1 to R3 has at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of the fluorine atom, the fluorinated alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and the fluorinated alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms;
• R4n (3)
• O—R5q (4)
• in the formula (3), R4 represents an alkylene group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and n represents 0 or 1;
• in the formula (4), R5 represents an alkylene group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and q represents an integer of from 1 to 4.

A method of producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member including an electroconductive support, and a photosensitive layer formed on the electroconductive support,

• the method comprising copolymerizing a film obtained by applying an application liquid produced by mixing a hole-transportable compound having a polymerizable functional group and a compound represented by the following general formula (1) to produce the electrophotographic photosensitive member:
• Ar1L1-P1)m (1)
• in the formula (1), Ar1 represents a group obtained by removing m hydrogen atoms in a compound represented by the following formula (2), L1 represents a divalent group represented by the formula (3) or the formula (4), P1 represents a polymerizable functional group, and m represents an integer of from 1 to 4, and when m represents 2 or more, L1's may be identical to or different from each other, and P1's may be identical to or different from each other;
• R1—R2—R3 (2)
• in the formula (2), R1 and R3 each independently represent a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted biphenylyl group, and R2 represents a single bond, a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group, or a substituted or unsubstituted biphenylylene group, and
• substituents of the phenyl group, the biphenylyl group, the phenylene group, and the biphenylylene group are each selected from a fluorine atom, a fluorinated alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a fluorinated alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and an alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and at least one of R1 to R3 has one or more fluorine atoms;
• R4n (3)
• O—R5q (4)
• in the formula (3), R4 represents an alkylene group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and n represents 0 or 1;
• in the formula (4), R5 represents an alkylene group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and q represents an integer of from 1 to 4.