TONER AS WELL AS DEVELOPER AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD USING THE SAME

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a toner which combines excellent cleaning ability, image quality and durability as well as a developer and an image forming method using the toner. SOLUTION: The toner comprises a toner base particle which comprises at least a binding resin and a colorant and an external additive, wherein the external additive is a non-spherical amorphous silica particle and the major axis of the silica particle is 40 to 180 nm. In preferred embodiments, the non-spherical amorphous silica particle has a true specific gravity of 1.8 to 2.3; the silica particle is hydrophobicized and has a hydrophobicity degree of 40 or more; the non-spherical amorphous silica particle is produced by a dry system; and a mass reduction rate is 5 mass% or less when the silica particle is heated from 30°C up to 250°C. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT