Image-forming apparatus and image-forming method

An image-forming method comprising:

• a charging step of electrostatically charging an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a conductive substrate, and at least a photoconductive layer and a surface layer on the conductive substrate;
• a latent-image-forming step of performing imagewise exposure to form an electrostatic latent image on the electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a developing step of moving a toner to the electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, to render the electrostatic latent image visible to form a toner image;
• and
• a transfer step of transferring the toner image to a transfer medium;
• wherein;
• the photoconductive layer of said electrophotographic photosensitive member comprises a non-single-crystal material composed chiefly of silicon;
• the surface layer of said electrophotographic photosensitive member comprises a non-single-crystal carbon film containing at least hydrogen, and has an arithmetic-mean roughness Ra ranging from 0 nm to 100 nm in an extent of 10 μm×10 μm of the surface layer;
• the charging step is a charging step making use of a magnetic-brush charging assembly for charging said electrophotographic photosensitive member electrostatically upon application of a voltage, bringing a magnetic brush formed by binding magnetic particles magnetically into contact with the surface of said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• and
• said toner is a magnetic toner having toner particles containing at least a binder resin and a magnetic material, and an inorganic fine powder, and having an average circularity of from 0.950 to 1.000;
• said toner having a saturation magnetization of from 10 to 50 Am2/kg (emu/g) under application of a magnetic field of 79.6 kA/m (1,000 oersteds).

An image-forming apparatus comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive member having at least a conductive substrate, and a photoconductive layer and a surface layer which are superposingly formed on the conductive substrate;
• a charging means for charging the electrophotographic photosensitive member electrostatically;
• a latent-image-forming means for performing imagewise exposure to form an electrostatic latent image on the electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a developing means for rendering the electrostatic latent image visible by the use of a toner to form a toner image;
• and
• a transfer means for transferring the toner image to a transfer medium;
• wherein;
• the photoconductive layer of said electrophotographic photosensitive member comprises a non-single-crystal material composed chiefly of silicon;
• the surface layer of said electrophotographic photosensitive member comprises a non-single-crystal carbon film containing at least hydrogen, and has an arithmetic-mean roughness Ra ranging from 0 nm to 100 nm in an extent of 10 μm×10 μm of the surface layer;
• said charging means has a conductive fine powder and a charging member holding the conductive fine powder on its surface;
• said conductive fine powder forming the part of contact with said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• and is a charging means for charging said electrophotographic photosensitive member electrostatically upon application of a voltage to said charging member;
• and
• said toner is a magnetic toner having toner particles containing at least a binder resin and a magnetic material, and an inorganic fine powder, and having an average circularity of from 0.950 to 1.000;
• said toner having a saturation magnetization of from 10 to 50 Am2/kg (emu/g) under application of a magnetic field of 79.6 kA/m (1,000 oersteds).

An image-forming method comprising:

• a charging step of electrostatically charging an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a conductive substrate, and at least a photoconductive layer and a surface layer on the conductive substrate;
• a latent-image-forming step of performing imagewise exposure to form an electrostatic latent image on the electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a developing step of rendering the electrostatic latent image visible by the use of a toner to form a toner image;
• and
• a transfer step of transferring the toner image to a transfer medium;
• wherein;
• the photoconductive layer of said electrophotographic photosensitive member comprises a non-single-crystal material composed chiefly of silicon;
• the surface layer of said electrophotographic photosensitive member comprises a non-single-crystal carbon film containing at least hydrogen, and has an arithmetic-mean roughness Ra ranging from 0 nm to 100 nm in an extent of 10 μm×10 μm of the surface layer;
• said charging step is a charging step of applying a voltage to a charging member to charge said electrophotographic photosensitive member electrostatically by means of a charging member holding a conductive fine powder on its surface;
• said conductive fine powder forming the part of contact with said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• and
• said toner is a magnetic toner having toner particles containing at least a binder resin and a magnetic material, and an inorganic fine powder, and having an average circularity of from 0.950 to 1.000;
• said toner having a saturation magnetization of from 10 to 50 Am2/kg (emu/g) under application of a magnetic field of 79.6 kA/m (1,000 oersteds).