Light-receiving member, image-forming apparatus, and image-forming method

An image-forming method comprising:

• a charging step of applying a voltage to a charging member to charge a light-receiving member;
• an electrostatic-latent-image-forming step of forming an electrostatic latent image on the light-receiving member thus charged;
• a developing step of forming a developed image on the light-receiving member by causing an electrostatic-latent-image-developing toner carried on a toner-carrying member, to move to the electrostatic latent image fanned on the light-receiving member;
• a transfer step of electrostatically transferring the developed image formed on the light-receiving member, to a transfer material via, or not via, an intermediate member;
• and
• a fixing step of fixing to the transfer material the developed image held thereon;
• said light-receiving member being a light-receiving member comprising a conductive substrate, and formed superposingly thereon a photosensitive layer and a surface protective layer in order;
• said surface protective layer comprising non-single-crystal carbon containing from 35 atom % to 55 atom % of atoms selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms and halogen atoms, and having a surface roughness Ra of from 15 nm to 100 nm, wherein an interfacial composition of the photosensitive layer and the surface protective layer satisfies the following expression:
• 0≦(Max−Min)/(Max+Mm)≦0.4
• (where Mm and Max represent the minimum value and maximum value, respectively, of reflectance (%) of light having a wavelength in the range of from 450 nm to 650 nm);
• and said photosensitive layer comprising a non-single-crystal material composed chiefly of silicon atoms and containing atoms selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms and halogen atoms;
• and said toner containing at least a binder resin, a charge control agent and a wax, and having a weight-average particle diameter of from 3 μm to 11 μm;
• said binder resin having a glass transition temperature of from 40° C. to 80° C., and said wax having a main peak in the region of molecular weight of from 400 to 10,000 and having at least one endothermic peak in the region of from 60° C. to 150° C. at the time of heating in differential thermal analysis.

An image-forming apparatus comprising;

• a light-receiving member for holding thereon an electrostatic latent image;
• a charging means for applying a voltage to a charging member to charge the light-receiving member;
• an electrostatic-latent-image-forming means for forming the electrostatic latent image on the light-receiving member thus charged;
• a developing means for forming a developed image on the light-receiving member by causing an electrostatic-latent-image-developing toner carried on a toner-carrying member, to move to the electrostatic latent image formed on the light-receiving member;
• a transfer means for electrostatically transferring the developed image formed on the light-receiving member, to a transfer material via, or not via, an intermediate member;
• and
• a fixing means for fixing to the transfer material the developed image held thereon;
• said light-receiving member being a light-receiving member comprising a conductive substrate, formed superposingly thereon a photosensitive layer and a surface protective layer in order, and
• wherein an interfacial composition of the photosensitive layer and the surface protective layer satisfies the following expression:
• 0≦(Max−Min)/(Max+Mm)≦0.4
• (where Mm and Max represent the minimum value and maximum value respectively, of reflectance (%) of light having a wavelength in the range of from 450 nm to 650 nm);
• said surface protective layer comprising non-single-crystal carbon containing from 35 atom % to 55 atom % of atoms selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms and halogen atoms, and having a surface roughness Ra of from 15 nm to 100 nm;
• and
• said photosensitive layer comprising a non-single-crystal material composed chiefly of silicon atoms and containing atoms selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms and halogen atoms;
• and
• said toner containing at least a binder resin, a charge control agent and a wax, and having a weight-average particle diameter of from 3 μm to 11 μm;
• said binder resin having a glass transition temperature of from 40° C. to 80° C., and said wax having a main peak in the region of molecular weight of from 400 to 10,000 and having at least one endothermic peak in the region of from 60° C. to 150° C. at the time of heating in differential thermal analysis.