Provided are stainless steel for a separator of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, which exhibits enhanced hydrophilicity and enhanced corrosion resistance, and a method of manufacturing the same. In the stainless steel for a separator of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, which exhibits enhanced hydrophilicity and enhanced corrosion resistance, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a ratio of Cr hydroxide/Cr oxide included in a passivation film of the stainless steel ranges from 0.7 to 1.6, and the passivation film has a contact angle (θ) of 70° or less. Thus, not only corrosion resistance may be enhanced by removing a non-conductive film formed on a surface of the stainless steel and forming a new conductive film thereon, but hydrophilicity may also be secured without additional surface treatment such as a separate coating or the like, and thus manufacturing costs may be reduced and productivity may be increased.

Grain-oriented electrical steel sheet excellent in magnetic properties and excellent in adhesion of the primary coating to the steel sheet is provided. This is provided with a base metal steel sheet containing a predetermined chemical composition and a primary coating formed on a surface of the base metal steel sheet and containing Mg.sub.2SiO.sub.4 as a main constituent. A peak position of Al emission intensity obtained when performing elemental analysis by glow discharge optical emission spectrometry from a surface of the primary coating in a thickness direction of the grain-oriented electrical steel sheet is arranged within a range of 2.0 to 10.0 μm from the surface of the primary coating in the thickness direction. A number density of Al oxides of a size of 0.2 μm or more in terms of a circle equivalent diameter based on the area at the peak position of Al emission intensity is 0.032 to 0.20/μm.sup.2, and, in a 100 μm×100 μm distribution chart of Al oxides at the peak position of Al emission intensity obtained by glow discharge optical emission spectrometry, if dividing the distribution chart by 10 μm×10 μm grid section, a ratio of a number of grid sections not containing the Al oxides to the total number of grid sections in the distribution chart is 5% or less.

Grain-oriented electrical steel sheet having an aluminum borate coating able to impart larger tension that the past and a method for manufacturing grain-oriented electrical steel sheet are formed. The grain-oriented electrical steel sheet according to the present invention has a steel sheet and an insulating coating formed on the steel sheet and containing aluminum and boron, where the oxides contain crystalline oxides and a maximum value of an emission intensity ratio of boron with respect to aluminum at an interface between the insulating coating and the steel sheet, analyzed by glow discharge optical emission spectrometry, is 2.5 times or more and 4.0 times or less of the emission intensity ratio of boron with respect to aluminum in the insulating coating.

An aqueous acidic composition is provided for forming a chromium-containing chemical conversion coating on a member having an iron-based metal surface. The composition contains a water-soluble trivalent chromium-containing substance, a water-soluble zinc-containing substance, and a water-soluble polyvalent carboxylic acid compound. On the total composition basis, the water-soluble trivalent chromium-containing substance has a content of 60 mmol/L or more in terms of chromium, the water-soluble zinc-containing substance has a molar content in terms of zinc such that a ratio of the content is 0.6 or more to a molar content in terms of chromium of the water-soluble trivalent chromium-containing substance, and the water-soluble polyvalent carboxylic acid compound has a content of 55 mmol/L or more in terms of polyvalent carboxylic acid. The composition is free from allylamine, polyallylamine, aromatic sulphonic acid, aromatic sulphonic acid-formaldehyde condensate, and derivatives thereof, and fluorine-based substance, hexavalent chromium-containing substance, and film-forming organic component.

An aqueous acidic composition is provided for forming a chromium-containing chemical conversion coating on a member having an iron-based metal surface. The composition contains a water-soluble trivalent chromium-containing substance, a water-soluble zinc-containing substance, and a water-soluble polyvalent carboxylic acid compound. On the total composition basis, the water-soluble trivalent chromium-containing substance has a content of 60 mmol/L or more in terms of chromium, the water-soluble zinc-containing substance has a molar content in terms of zinc such that a ratio of the content is 0.6 or more to a molar content in terms of chromium of the water-soluble trivalent chromium-containing substance, and the water-soluble polyvalent carboxylic acid compound has a content of 55 mmol/L or more in terms of polyvalent carboxylic acid. The composition is free from allylamine, polyallylamine, aromatic sulphonic acid, aromatic sulphonic acid-formaldehyde condensate, and derivatives thereof, and fluorine-based substance, hexavalent chromium-containing substance, and film-forming organic component.

A method for producing a retort for a nitriding furnace, in which metallic workpieces are heat-treated in a pre-determined atmosphere, includes pickling at least the surfaces of the retort, which are configured to come into contact with the pre-determined atmosphere while the nitriding furnace is operating, by using a pickling agent. The pickled surfaces may then be electropolished and passivated. A retort may be produced according to this method and the retort may be used in a nitriding furnace.

A method for producing a retort for a nitriding furnace, in which metallic workpieces are heat-treated in a pre-determined atmosphere, includes pickling at least the surfaces of the retort, which are configured to come into contact with the pre-determined atmosphere while the nitriding furnace is operating, by using a pickling agent. The pickled surfaces may then be electropolished and passivated. A retort may be produced according to this method and the retort may be used in a nitriding furnace.

Provided are stainless steel for a separator of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, which exhibits enhanced hydrophilicity and enhanced corrosion resistance, and a method of manufacturing the same. In the stainless steel for a separator of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, which exhibits enhanced hydrophilicity and enhanced corrosion resistance, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a ratio of Cr hydroxide/Cr oxide included in a passivation film of the stainless steel ranges from 0.5 to 1.7, and the passivation film has a contact angle (θ) of 70° or less. Thus, not only corrosion resistance may be enhanced by removing a non-conductive film formed on a surface of the stainless steel and forming a new conductive film thereon, but hydrophilicity may also be secured without additional surface treatment such as a separate coating or the like, and thus manufacturing costs may be reduced and productivity may be increased.

Provided are stainless steel for a separator of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, which exhibits enhanced hydrophilicity and enhanced corrosion resistance, and a method of manufacturing the same. In the stainless steel for a separator of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, which exhibits enhanced hydrophilicity and enhanced corrosion resistance, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a ratio of Cr hydroxide/Cr oxide included in a passivation film of the stainless steel ranges from 0.5 to 1.7, and the passivation film has a contact angle (θ) of 70° or less. Thus, not only corrosion resistance may be enhanced by removing a non-conductive film formed on a surface of the stainless steel and forming a new conductive film thereon, but hydrophilicity may also be secured without additional surface treatment such as a separate coating or the like, and thus manufacturing costs may be reduced and productivity may be increased.

[Problem] To provide: a coating liquid for forming an insulation coating for grain-oriented electrical steel sheets, which enables the achievement of excellent coating properties including high coating tension and excellent corrosion resistance even without using a chromium compound; a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet; and a method for producing a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet. [Solution] A coating liquid for forming an insulation coating for grain-oriented electrical steel sheets, which contains boric acid and hydrated silicate particles containing aluminum.