This disclosure relates to an inorganic-organic metal phosphate ceramic coating from the reaction of an inorganic phosphate of the formulas (i) A.sub.m(H.sub.2PO.sub.4).sub.m.nH.sub.2O or (ii) AH.sub.3(PO.sub.4).sub.2.nH.sub.2O; where A is ammonium or an m-valent metal element; m=1, 2, or 3; and n is 0 to 25; and at least one metal oxide or hydroxide represented by the formula B.sub.2mO.sub.m or B(OH).sub.2m, where B is a 2m-valent metal; and m=1 or 1.5; thereof; and at least one polymer capable of reacting with at least the one metal oxide or hydroxide; or a first organic precursor combined with the inorganic phosphate and a second organic precursor combined with the at least one metal oxide or hydroxide, the second organic precursor configured to chemically react with the one or more first organic precursor.

This disclosure relates to an inorganic-organic metal phosphate ceramic coating from the reaction of an inorganic phosphate of the formulas (i) A.sub.m(H.sub.2PO.sub.4).sub.m.nH.sub.2O or (ii) AH.sub.3(PO.sub.4).sub.2.nH.sub.2O; where A is ammonium or an m-valent metal element; m=1, 2, or 3; and n is 0 to 25; and at least one metal oxide or hydroxide represented by the formula B.sub.2mO.sub.m or B(OH).sub.2m, where B is a 2m-valent metal; and m=1 or 1.5; thereof; and at least one polymer capable of reacting with at least the one metal oxide or hydroxide; or a first organic precursor combined with the inorganic phosphate and a second organic precursor combined with the at least one metal oxide or hydroxide, the second organic precursor configured to chemically react with the one or more first organic precursor.

Provided is a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet having a film that is effective for the magnetic properties of the steel sheet and particularly effective for iron loss reduction and has favorable adhesion. In a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet, an insulating film partially enters into a steel substrate to form an anchor part, a depth of the anchor part from the surface of the steel substrate is 3.5 μm or less, and a number of neck parts of 5 μm.sup.2 or less in area is 0.06/μm.sup.2 or less and a number of neck parts of 10 μm.sup.2 to 40 μm.sup.2 in area is 0.005/μm.sup.2 or more and 0.011/μm.sup.2 or less, where each neck part is a remaining part of the insulating film on the surface of the steel substrate when peeling the insulating film from the steel substrate in a bend test for the grain-oriented electrical steel sheet.

Provided are coated metal, the metal having improved properties due to a novel coating, a coating-forming treatment solution for forming the novel coating, and a method for producing the coated metal that has the novel coating. The coated metal includes metal and a coating formed on the metal. The coating includes Si, P, and O, and at least one selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Ba, Sr, Zn, Al, and Mn. The coating includes a compound having a NASICON-type crystal structure represented by the general formula M.sup.IM.sup.IV.sub.2(M.sup.VO.sub.4).sub.3.

Provided are coated metal, the metal having improved properties due to a novel coating, a coating-forming treatment solution for forming the novel coating, and a method for producing the coated metal that has the novel coating. The coated metal includes metal and a coating formed on the metal. The coating includes Si, P, and O, and at least one selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Ba, Sr, Zn, Al, and Mn. The coating includes a compound having a NASICON-type crystal structure represented by the general formula M.sup.IM.sup.IV.sub.2(M.sup.VO.sub.4).sub.3.

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.

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.

This invention provides a technique that enables a chemical conversion coating excellent in adhesiveness and corrosion resistance to be formed on or over a magnesium material or magnesium alloy material and use of the technique. The above object is achieved by performing a surface conditioning treatment by using a surface conditioning agent that includes specific dibasic calcium phosphate particles before performing a chemical conversion for forming the chemical conversion coating.

This invention provides a technique that enables a chemical conversion coating excellent in adhesiveness and corrosion resistance to be formed on or over a magnesium material or magnesium alloy material and use of the technique. The above object is achieved by performing a surface conditioning treatment by using a surface conditioning agent that includes specific dibasic calcium phosphate particles before performing a chemical conversion for forming the chemical conversion coating.

An electrical steel sheet provided with an insulating coating is disclosed. Therefore, a pre-treatment liquid used on an electrical steel sheet having a forsterite coating on a surface thereof is provided before applying an insulating coating treatment liquid containing at least one salt selected from the group consisting of phosphate, borate, and silicate, the pre-treatment liquid. The pre-treatment liquid includes: at least one inorganic acid selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and phosphoric acid; and acetic acid, wherein a content of the acetic acid is not less than 1 mass ppm and not more than 3000 mass ppm.