Electrophotographic image forming method and image forming apparatus

An image forming method comprising steps of;

• visualizing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photoreceptor via development employing a developer comprising toner to form a toner image,
• transferring the toner image onto a recording material,
• fixing the toner image on the recording material, and
• removing a residual toner remaining on the electrophotographic photoreceptor,
• wherein a surface layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor contains inorganic minute particles having a number average diameter of primary particles of 1-100 nm, and an endothermic energy variation amount (ΔH) of a coated layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor is 0.1-10 J/g in differential scanning calorimetry,
• a glass transition temperature (Tg) of the toner is 20-40° C., and an interfacial adhesion force (Fr) between the toner and polytetrafluoroethylene is 1.0-3.5 N, and
• image formation is carried out in the presence of a surface energy lowering agent onto the electrophotographic photoreceptor, wherein the surface energy lowering agent is provided to the surface of the photoreceptor by employing the developer containing the surface energy lowering agent or the surface energy lowering agent is provided to the surface of the photoreceptor via surface energy lowering agent providing member.