An insulating coating for an electrical steel sheet is provided that is formed on a surface of a base metal of the electrical steel sheet and that contains a polyvalent metal phosphate of one or more elements selected from Al, Zn, Mg and Ca, and has an enriched layer of a divalent metal at an interface with the surface of the base metal. An enrichment of the divalent metal contained in the enriched layer is 0.01 g/m.sup.2 or more and less than 0.2 g/m.sup.2.

To improve oxidation and corrosion resistance of stainless steel, it is not necessary to apply suspensions containing nanoparticles of rare earth metal oxides. Rare earth metal nitrates or acetates in aqueous solution improve the oxidation and corrosion resistance of stainless steels when applied to the surface of the steels. Further oxidation and corrosion resistance can be provided by the addition of chromium or aluminum acetate, nitrate, or sulfate to the rare earth metal nitrate or acetate aqueous solutions before application to the steel.

A steel substrate coated on at least one of its faces with a metallic coating based on zinc or its alloys wherein the metallic coating is itself coated with a zincsulphate-based layer—includes at least one of the compounds selected from among zincsulphate monohydrate, zincsulphate tetrahydrate and zincsulphate heptahydrate, wherein the zincsulphate-based layer has neither zinc hydroxysulphate nor free water molecules nor free hydroxyl groups, the surface density of sulphur in the zincsulphate-based layer being greater than or equal to 0.5 mg/m.sup.2. A corresponding treatment method is provided.

A steel substrate coated on at least one of its faces with a metallic coating based on zinc or its alloys wherein the metallic coating is itself coated with a zincsulphate-based layer—includes at least one of the compounds selected from among zincsulphate monohydrate, zincsulphate tetrahydrate and zincsulphate heptahydrate, wherein the zincsulphate-based layer has neither zinc hydroxysulphate nor free water molecules nor free hydroxyl groups, the surface density of sulphur in the zincsulphate-based layer being greater than or equal to 0.5 mg/m.sup.2. A corresponding treatment method is provided.

Described herein is an improved method for applying silane-based coatings to solid surfaces, in particular metal surfaces. Also described herein are a silane-containing composition, a solid surface, in particular a metal surface, including a silane-based coating, and a method of using the silane-based coating in the transportation industry or in electrically conductive assembling.

A grain-oriented electrical steel sheet of the present invention has a base steel sheet, an amorphous oxide layer formed on the base steel sheet, and a tension-insulation coating formed on the amorphous oxide layer, in which the base steel sheet contains, as a chemical composition, by mass %, C: 0.085% or less, Si: 0.80 to 7.00%, Mn: 1.50% or less, acid-soluble Al: 0.065% or less, S: 0.013% or less, Cu: 0 to 0.80%, N: 0 to 0.012%, P: 0 to 0.50%, Ni: 0 to 1.00%, Sn: 0 to 0.30%, and Sb: 0 to 0.30%, a remainder is Fe and an impurity, a surface glossiness Gs20(A) in a direction parallel to a rolling direction is 2.0 to 70, and a surface glossiness Gs20(B) in a direction perpendicular to the rolling direction is 2.0 to 70.

This grain-oriented electrical steel sheet includes a steel sheet, an insulation coating disposed on the steel sheet, and a spinel present at a part on the steel sheet at an interface between the steel sheet and the insulation coating by being fitted into the insulation coating, in which an amount of the spinel is 5 to 50 mg/m.sup.2 per unit area of a surface of the steel sheet.

A method for producing a grain oriented electrical steel sheet includes a decarburization annealing process where an oxidation degree PH.sub.2O/PH.sub.2 is controlled, an annealing separator applying process where a mass ratio of MgO and Al.sub.2O.sub.3 in an annealing separator is controlled, a final annealing process where an oxidation degree is controlled when atmosphere includes hydrogen or a dew point is controlled when atmosphere consists of inert gas, and an insulation coating forming process where a baking temperature and a heat treatment temperature are controlled.

The method for manufacturing a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet is a method for manufacturing a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet including a strain region forming process of irradiating the grain-oriented electrical steel sheet having a base steel sheet (1), an intermediate layer (4) disposed to be in contact with the base steel sheet (1), and an insulation coating (3) disposed to be in contact with the intermediate layer (4) with an electron beam and forming a strain region (D) which extends in a direction intersecting a rolling direction of the base steel sheet (1) on a surface of the base steel sheet (1), wherein, in the strain region forming process, a temperature of a central portion of the strain region (D) in the rolling direction of the base steel sheet (1) and an extension direction of the strain region (D) is heated to 800° C. or higher and 2000° C. or lower.

A composition for a stainless coating according to the present disclosure includes a sodium silicate, a lithium silicate, a polysiloxane, ethanol, and a residual solvent. The composition may be uniformly and smoothly coated on a curved, stainless steel surface, cleaning may be easier, and yellowing may be reduced or prevented.