CHARGING MEMBER, METHOD OF PRODUCING THE CHARGING MEMBER, ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS, AND PROCESS CARTRIDGE

摘要

Provided is a charging member hardly causing a cleaning failure to suppress occurrence of a vertical streak image in an electrophotographic apparatus. The charging member comprises a support, an elastic layer, and a surface layer. The surface layer comprises a polymer compound having at least one bond of Si—O-M bond and Si—O—Ta bond, at least one bond of M-O—Ge bond and Ta—O—Ge bond, and Si—O—Ge bond. M represents any element selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, and Hf. The polymer compound has structural units represented by the formula (1) and (2), and at least one structural unit of structural units represented by the formula (3) and (4). The charging member has a crack extending from its surface to the elastic layer, and the crack has a convexly raised edge by which a surface of the charging member is roughened.