Carrier, method for preparing the carrier, developer using the carrier, developer container, and image forming method and process cartridge using the developer

A carrier for use in a two-component developer for developing an electrostatic latent image, comprising:

• a particulate magnetic core material;
• and
• a cover layer located on a surface of the core material and including a crosslinked material and barium sulfate,
• the cover layer being formed by applying a coating medium including barium sulfate, a copolymer including a unit (A) having the below-mentioned formula (1) and a unit (B) having the below-mentioned formula (2), and a condensation reaction catalyst to the surface of the core material, and heating the applied medium to a temperature of from 100° C. to 230° C. so that the copolymer is hydrolyzed to produce a material having a silanol group, the material and the condensation reaction catalyst are subjected to a condensation reaction to form the crosslinked material,
• wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, m is an integer of from 1 to 8, (CH2)m represents an alkylene group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, R2 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R3 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms or an alkoxyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and X and Y respectively represent molar ratios of the units A and B and each of X and Y is from 10% by mole to 90% by mole, wherein the cover layer includes Ba and Si at an atomic ratio of from 0.01 to 0.08 as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.