Patent ID: 8518626

Claim:
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 particulate magnetic core material and including a crosslinked material, wherein the crosslinked material is formed by hydrolyzing a copolymer including a unit (A) having the below-mentioned formula (A) and a unit (B) having the below-mentioned formula (B) to prepare a material having a silanol group, and subjecting the material to a condensation reaction using an organic zirconium-containing catalyst; wherein each of R 1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, each of m is an integer of from 1 to 8, each of R 2 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R 3 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, wherein X is from 10% by mole to 90% by mole and Y is from 90% by mole to 10% by mole.