Patent ID: 8535861

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: an electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising an electroconductive substrate, and a photosensitive layer and a surface protective layer disposed on the electroconductive substrate in this order; a charging unit that charges the electrophotographic photoreceptor; an electrostatic latent image forming unit that forms an electrostatic latent image on the charged electrophotographic photoreceptor; a developing unit that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photoreceptor using a toner to form a toner image; a transfer unit that transfers the toner image on a transfer medium; and a residual toner removing unit that removes the toner remaining on the electrophotographic photoreceptor after transfer of the toner image, the surface protective layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor having a surface free energy of from 10 mN/m to 30 mN/m, and comprising a crosslinked product of a composition comprising: at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a compound having a guanamine structure and a compound having a melamine structure, and at least one charge transporting material that includes at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of —OH, —OCH 3 , —NH 2 , —SH and —COOH, wherein the solid content concentration of the charge transporting material in the composition is 80% by weight or more, and wherein the solid content concentration of the at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a compound having a guanamine structure and a compound having a melamine structure in the composition is from 0.1% by weight to 5% by weight, the toner in the developing unit comprising silica, and the residual toner removing unit comprising a blade member including a base layer and an edge layer having a type A durometer hardness of from HsA 75 to HsA 90 at 23° C., the hardness of the edge layer being higher than the hardness of the base layer.