Electrophotographic photoconductor, method for preparing the same, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus

1. An electrophotographic photoconductor comprising:

a conductive substrate; and

an outermost surface layer on the conductive substrate, the outermost surface layer containing

a copolymer (a) that includes a constitutional unit represented by general formula (1) below derived from a reactive monomer having charge transport property and a constitutional unit represented by general formula (2) below derived from a reactive monomer having no charge transport property:

where, in general formulae (1) and (2),

R represents an organic group having no charge transport property;

R 1 and R 2 each independently represent hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms;

X represents a divalent organic group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms;

a represents 0 or 1; and

CT represents an organic group having a charge transport skeleton, and

a polymer prepared by polymerizing, in the presence of the copolymer (a), a reactive monomer (b) that has a solubility parameter (SP value) different from a solubility parameter (SP value) of the reactive monomer having no charge transport property by about 2 (cal/cm 3 ) 1/2 or less,

wherein a ratio of a constitutional unit derived from the reactive monomer having no charge transport property in the copolymer (a) is about 10 mass % or less.

2. The electrophotographic photoconductor according to claim 1 , wherein the reactive monomer having no charge transport property and constituting the copolymer (a) has the same structure as the reactive monomer (b).

3. The electrophotographic photoconductor according to claim 1 , wherein both the reactive monomer having no charge transport property and constituting the copolymer (a) and the reactive monomer (b) have an alkylene oxide group.

4. The electrophotographic photoconductor according to claim 1 , wherein both the reactive monomer having no charge transport property and constituting the copolymer (a) and the reactive monomer (b) have a bisphenol skeleton.

5. The electrophotographic photoconductor according to claim 1 , wherein both the reactive monomer having no charge transport property and constituting the copolymer (a) and the reactive monomer (b) have an alkyl group having 6 or more carbon atoms.

6. The electrophotographic photoconductor according to claim 1 , wherein the reactive monomer having charge transport property and constituting the copolymer (a) is a compound represented by general formula (A) below:

where, in formula (A),

Ar 1 to Ar 4 may be the same or different and each independently represent a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group;

Ar 5 represents a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or a substituted or unsubstituted arylene group;

D represents a side chain having a reactive group;

c1 to c5 each independently represent an integer of 0 to 2;

k represents 0 or 1; and

the total number of D is 1 to 6.

7. The electrophotographic photoconductor according to claim 1 , wherein the reactive monomer (b) has two or more polymerizable groups.

8. The electrophotographic photoconductor according to claim 1 , wherein the reactive monomer (b) is a compound represented by general formula (B) below:

where, in formula (B),

Ar 1 to Ar 4 may be the same or different and each independently represent a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group;

Ar 5 represents a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or a substituted or unsubstituted arylene group;

D represents a side chain having a reactive group;

c1 to c5 each independently represent an integer of 0 to 2;

k represents 0 or 1; and

the total number of D is 1 to 6.

9. The electrophotographic photoconductor according to claim 1 , wherein the outermost surface layer of a photosensitive layer contains fluorine-based particles.

10. A method for preparing the electrophotographic photoconductor according to claim 1 , the method comprising:

applying a coating solution for forming an outermost surface layer of the electrographic photoconductor onto the electrophotographic photoconductor to form a coating layer, the coating solution containing

a copolymer (a) that includes a constitutional unit represented by general formula (1) below derived from a reactive monomer having charge transport property and a constitutional unit represented by general formula (2) below derived from a reactive monomer having no charge transport property:

where, in general formulae (1) and (2),

R represents an organic group having no charge transport property;

R 1 and R 2 each independently represent hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms;

X represents a divalent organic group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms; a represents 0 or 1; and

CT represents an organic group having a charge transport skeleton, and

a reactive monomer (b) that has a solubility parameter (SP value) different from a solubility parameter (SP value) of the reactive monomer having no charge transport property by about 2 (cal/cm 3 ) 1/2 or less; and

heating the coating layer of the coating solution applied on the conductive substrate at an oxygen concentration of about 1000 ppm or less and a temperature of about 130° C. or higher.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the coating solution contains a polymerization initiator.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the polymerization initiator is a thermal polymerization initiator.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the thermal polymerization initiator has a molecular weight of about 250 or more.

14. A process cartridge comprising:

the electrophotographic photoconductor according to claim 1 ,

wherein the process cartridge is detachably attachable to an image forming apparatus.

15. An image forming apparatus comprising:

the electrophotographic photoconductor according to claim 1 ;

a charging device that charges the electrophotographic photoconductor;

a latent image-forming device that forms an electrostatic latent image on a surface of the charged electrophotographic photoconductor;

a developing device that forms a toner image by developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the electrophotographic photoconductor with a toner; and

a transfer device that transfers the toner image formed on the surface of the electrophotographic photoconductor onto a recording medium.