Member for electrophotography, process cartridge and image forming apparatus

A process cartridge which is configured to be detachably attachable to the body of an image forming apparatus, the process cartridge comprising an image bearing member and a charging member disposed in contact with the image bearing member, wherein

• the charging member comprises a substrate, an elastic layer on the substrate, and a surface layer on the elastic layer,
• the surface layer comprises a binder resin and first particles,
• the surface of the surface layer has first convexes derived from the first particles,
• the first particles resulting in the first convex have an average inter-particle surface distance of 50 nm or less,
• the first particles have a number-average particle diameter of 200 nm or more and 1000 nm or less, and
• the surface of the surface layer has a universal hardness of 1.0 N/mm2 or more and 7.0 N/mm2 or less.

An image forming apparatus comprising an image bearing member, a charging apparatus which charges the image bearing member, a developing apparatus which develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member by use of a developer, and a transfer member which transfers the developer supported by the image bearing member to a transfer medium, wherein

• the charging apparatus comprises a charging member,
• the charging member comprises a substrate, an elastic layer on the substrate, and a surface layer on the elastic layer,
• the surface layer comprises a binder resin and first particles,
• the surface of the surface layer has first convexes derived from the first particles,
• the first particles resulting in the first convex have an average inter-particle surface distance of 50 nm or less,
• the first particles have a number-average particle diameter of 200 nm or more and 1000 nm or less, and
• the surface of the surface layer has a universal hardness of 1.0 N/mm2 or more and 7.0 N/mm2 or less.