Electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge, and electrophotographic apparatus

A method of producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member,

• the electrophotographic photosensitive member including a support, an undercoat layer formed on the support, and a photosensitive layer formed on the undercoat layer,
• the undercoat layer containing a polymerization product of a composition containing:
• an electron-transporting substance represented by the following formula (1);
• and a crosslinking agent,
• the crosslinking agent having a functional group capable of being bonded to at least one polymerizable functional group of the electron-transporting substance,
• the method comprising:
• forming a coating film of a coating liquid for an undercoat layer, the coating liquid containing the electron-transporting substance represented by the following formula (1) and the crosslinking agent;
• and
• forming the undercoat layer by polymerizing the coating film:
• in the formula (1),
• R1 to R8 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a cyano group, a nitro group, a halogen atom, an alkoxycarbonyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, provided that at least one of R2, R3, R6, or R7 represents a cyano group, a nitro group, a halogen atom, an alkoxycarbonyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, and
• R9 to R12 each independently represent a polymerizable functional group, an unsubstituted alkyl group, an alkyl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group, an alkyl group substituted with a group other than a polymerizable functional group, an alkyl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group and a group other than the polymerizable functional group, an unsubstituted aryl group, an aryl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group, an aryl group substituted with a group other than a polymerizable functional group, or an aryl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group and a group other than the polymerizable functional group,
• provided that at least one of R9 to R12 represents a polymerizable functional group, an alkyl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group, an alkyl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group and a group other than the polymerizable functional group, an aryl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group, or an aryl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group and a group other than the polymerizable functional group.

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 an electrophotographic apparatus,
• wherein the electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a support, an undercoat layer formed on the support, and a photosensitive layer formed on the undercoat layer,
• wherein the undercoat layer contains a polymerization product of a composition containing:
• an electron-transporting substance represented by the following formula (1);
• and a crosslinking agent, and
• wherein the crosslinking agent has a functional group capable of being bonded to at least one polymerizable functional group of the electron-transporting substance:
• in the formula (1),
• R1 to R8 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a cyano group, a nitro group, a halogen atom, an alkoxycarbonyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, provided that at least one of R2, R3, R6, or R7 represents a cyano group, a nitro group, a halogen atom, an alkoxycarbonyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, and
• R9 to R12 each independently represent a polymerizable functional group, an unsubstituted alkyl group, an alkyl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group, an alkyl group substituted with a group other than a polymerizable functional group, an alkyl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group and a group other than the polymerizable functional group, an unsubstituted aryl group, an aryl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group, an aryl group substituted with a group other than a polymerizable functional group, or an aryl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group and a group other than the polymerizable functional group,
• provided that at least one of R9 to R12 represents a polymerizable functional group, an alkyl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group, an alkyl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group and a group other than the polymerizable functional group, an aryl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group, or an aryl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group and a group other than the polymerizable functional group.

An electrophotographic apparatus comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a charging unit;
• an exposing unit;
• a developing unit;
• and
• a transfer unit,
• wherein the electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a support, an undercoat layer formed on the support, and a photosensitive layer formed on the undercoat layer,
• wherein the undercoat layer contains a polymerization product of a composition containing:
• an electron-transporting substance represented by the following formula (1);
• and a crosslinking agent, and
• the crosslinking agent has a functional group capable of being bonded to at least one polymerizable functional group of the electron-transporting substance:
• in the formula (1),
• R1 to R8 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a cyano group, a nitro group, a halogen atom, an alkoxycarbonyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, provided that at least one of R2, R3, R6, or R7 represents a cyano group, a nitro group, a halogen atom, an alkoxycarbonyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, and
• R9 to R12 each independently represent a polymerizable functional group, an unsubstituted alkyl group, an alkyl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group, an alkyl group substituted with a group other than a polymerizable functional group, an alkyl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group and a group other than the polymerizable functional group, an unsubstituted aryl group, an aryl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group, an aryl group substituted with a group other than a polymerizable functional group, or an aryl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group and a group other than the polymerizable functional group,
• provided that at least one of R9 to R12 represents a polymerizable functional group, an alkyl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group, an alkyl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group and a group other than the polymerizable functional group, an aryl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group, or an aryl group substituted with a polymerizable functional group and a group other than the polymerizable functional group.