Electrophotographic photoreceptor, process cartridge and image-forming apparatus

1. An electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising:

a conductive substrate; and

a photosensitive layer provided on or above the conductive substrate, the photosensitive layer comprising a first functional layer that includes:

(i) a compound represented by the following Formula (I):

wherein, in Formula (I), F represents an n-valent organic group having hole transportation ability;

R1, R2, and R3 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or a monovalent organic group having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms;

L represents an alkylene group having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms, which may be branched;

n represents an integer of 1 to 4; and

j represents an integer of 1, or

(ii) a cured material of a composition including a compound represented by Formula (I) in which n is an integer of 2 to 4.

2. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 1 , wherein the alkylene group represented by L in the Formula (I) is a methylene group.

3. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 1 , wherein the compound represented by the Formula (I) is also represented by the following Formula (II):

wherein, in Formula (II), Ar1, Ar2, Ar3, and Ar4 each independently represents a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or a substituted or unsubstituted allylene group;

Ar5 represents a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or a substituted or unsubstituted allylene group;

c1, c2, c3, c4, and c5 each independently represents 0 or 1;

k represents 0 or 1;

D represents a monovalent organic group represented by the following Formula (III); and

the total of c1, c2, c3, c4, and c5 is from 1 to 4:

wherein, in Formula (III), R1, R2, and R3 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or a monovalent organic group having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms;

L represents an alkylene group having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms, which may be branched; and

j represents 1.

4. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 3 , wherein the alkylene group represented by L in Formula (III) is a methylene group.

5. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 1 , wherein the first functional layer is the outermost surface layer of the photosensitive layer.

6. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 1 , wherein the first functional layer includes cured material of a composition including a compound represented by the Formula (I) in which n is an integer of 2 to 4.

7. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 1 , wherein the first functional layer includes a cross-linking resin.

8. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 7 , wherein the cross-linking resin is a phenol resin.

9. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 1 , wherein the first functional layer includes an acid catalyst or neutralized substance therefrom.

10. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 1 , wherein the photosensitive layer further comprises a second functional layer comprising a hydroxygallium phthalocyanine pigment which has a maximum absorption wavelength in the range of from 810 nm to 839 nm in the spectral absorption spectrum in the wavelength band of from 600 nm to 900 nm.

11. A process cartridge, comprising:

the electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 1 ; and

at least one of the following group of units, the group consisting of: a charging unit that charges the electrophotographic photoreceptor; a developing unit that develops with toner an electrostatic latent image formed at the electrophotographic photoreceptor and forms a toner image; and a toner removing unit that removes the toner remaining on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor.

12. An image-forming apparatus comprising:

the electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 1 ;

a charging unit that charges the electrophotographic photoreceptor;

an electrostatic image-forming unit, that forms an electrostatic latent image;

a developing unit, that develops with toner an electrostatic latent image formed at the electrophotographic photoreceptor and forms a toner image; and

a transfer unit that transfers the toner image to a transfer body.

13. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 1 , wherein in Formula (I), R1, R2, and R3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a group represented by —(CH2)r-O—R4, where R4 represents a hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms that may form a ring; and r represents an integer of 1 to 12.

14. The electrophotographic photoreceptor according to claim 3 , wherein in Formula (III), R1, R2, and R3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a group represented by —(CH2)r-O—R4, where R4 represents a hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms that may form a ring; and r represents an integer of 1 to 12.

15. The process cartridge according to claim 11 , wherein in Formula (I), R1, R2, and R3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a group represented by —(CH2)r-O—R4, where R4 represents a hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms that may form a ring; and r represents an integer of 1 to 12.

16. The image-forming apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein in Formula (I), R1, R2, and R3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a group represented by —(CH2)r-O—R4, where R4 represents a hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms that may form a ring; and r represents an integer of 1 to 12.