An annealing separator composition for a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention contains a composite metal oxide containing Mg and a metal M, wherein the metal M is one or more of Be, Ca, Ba, Sr, Sn, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn.

A permanent magnet may include a Fe.sub.16N.sub.2 phase in a strained state. In some examples, strain may be preserved within the permanent magnet by a technique that includes etching an iron nitride-containing workpiece including Fe.sub.16N.sub.2 to introduce texture, straining the workpiece, and annealing the workpiece. In some examples, strain may be preserved within the permanent magnet by a technique that includes applying at a first temperature a layer of material to an iron nitride-containing workpiece including Fe.sub.16N.sub.2, and bringing the layer of material and the iron nitride-containing workpiece to a second temperature, where the material has a different coefficient of thermal expansion than the iron nitride-containing workpiece. A permanent magnet including an Fe.sub.16N.sub.2 phase with preserved strain also is disclosed.

A permanent magnet may include a Fe.sub.16N.sub.2 phase in a strained state. In some examples, strain may be preserved within the permanent magnet by a technique that includes etching an iron nitride-containing workpiece including Fe.sub.16N.sub.2 to introduce texture, straining the workpiece, and annealing the workpiece. In some examples, strain may be preserved within the permanent magnet by a technique that includes applying at a first temperature a layer of material to an iron nitride-containing workpiece including Fe.sub.16N.sub.2, and bringing the layer of material and the iron nitride-containing workpiece to a second temperature, where the material has a different coefficient of thermal expansion than the iron nitride-containing workpiece. A permanent magnet including an Fe.sub.16N.sub.2 phase with preserved strain also is disclosed.

A grain-oriented electrical steel sheet that includes a base coating with a high TiN ratio advantageous for the application of tension to the steel sheet and has excellent magnetic property is provided. The grain-oriented electrical steel sheet includes: a base coating having a peak value PTiN of TiN in the form of osbornite, observed in a range of 42°<2θ<43° and a peak value PMg.sub.2SiO.sub.4 of Mg.sub.2SiO.sub.4 in the form of forsterite, observed in a range of 35°<2θ<36° of both more than 0 and satisfying a relationship PTiN≧PMg.sub.2SiO.sub.4, in thin-film X-ray diffraction analysis; and an iron loss W.sub.17/50 of 1.0 W/kg or less.

A grain-oriented electrical steel sheet that includes a base coating with a high TiN ratio advantageous for the application of tension to the steel sheet and has excellent magnetic property is provided. The grain-oriented electrical steel sheet includes: a base coating having a peak value PTiN of TiN in the form of osbornite, observed in a range of 42°<2θ<43° and a peak value PMg.sub.2SiO.sub.4 of Mg.sub.2SiO.sub.4 in the form of forsterite, observed in a range of 35°<2θ<36° of both more than 0 and satisfying a relationship PTiN≧PMg.sub.2SiO.sub.4, in thin-film X-ray diffraction analysis; and an iron loss W.sub.17/50 of 1.0 W/kg or less.

Techniques are disclosed for milling an iron-containing raw material in the presence of a nitrogen source to generate anisotropically shaped particles that include iron nitride and have an aspect ratio of at least 1.4. Techniques for nitridizing an anisotropic particle including iron, and annealing an anisotropic particle including iron nitride to form at least one a″-Fe16N2 phase domain within the anisotropic particle including iron nitride also are disclosed. In addition, techniques for aligning and joining anisotropic particles to form a bulk material including iron nitride, such as a bulk permanent magnet including at least one a″-Fe16N2 phase domain, are described. Milling apparatuses utilizing elongated bars, an electric field, and a magnetic field also are disclosed.

Techniques are disclosed for milling an iron-containing raw material in the presence of a nitrogen source to generate anisotropically shaped particles that include iron nitride and have an aspect ratio of at least 1.4. Techniques for nitridizing an anisotropic particle including iron, and annealing an anisotropic particle including iron nitride to form at least one a″-Fe16N2 phase domain within the anisotropic particle including iron nitride also are disclosed. In addition, techniques for aligning and joining anisotropic particles to form a bulk material including iron nitride, such as a bulk permanent magnet including at least one a″-Fe16N2 phase domain, are described. Milling apparatuses utilizing elongated bars, an electric field, and a magnetic field also are disclosed.

This steel sheet has a specific chemical composition, the tensile strength is 1300 MPa or more, the ratio (R/t) of the limit bend radius to the sheet thickness is less than 3.5, when a depth position of 30 μm from the surface in the sheet thickness direction is defined as a position A and a depth position of ¼ of the sheet thickness from the surface in the sheet thickness direction is defined as a position B, the number density of AIN at the position A is 3000 pieces/mm.sup.2 or more and 6000 pieces/mm.sup.2 or less, a metallographic structure at the position B includes 90% or more of martensite by volume percentage, and the hardness at the position A is 1.20 times or higher than the hardness at the position B.

A method for treating a part made of ferrous metal includes a nitriding operation forming on the part a combination layer having a thickness of between 5 and 30 μm, and a diffusion region, arranged beneath and in contact with the combination layer, having a thickness of between 100 μm and 500 μm. The method also includes an operation of quenching the part by high-frequency induction, over an induction depth that is greater than or equal to 0.5 mm, thereby hardening the part. The resulting part has a surface hardness greater than or equal to 50 HRC, a hardness of the combination layer greater than or equal to 400 HV0.05, and a hardness of the part greater than or equal to 500 HV0.05 at a depth of 500 μm. The high-frequency induction quenching operation is performed without the application of a protective film on the part prior to the induction quenching operation.

A method for treating a part made of ferrous metal includes a nitriding operation forming on the part a combination layer having a thickness of between 5 and 30 μm, and a diffusion region, arranged beneath and in contact with the combination layer, having a thickness of between 100 μm and 500 μm. The method also includes an operation of quenching the part by high-frequency induction, over an induction depth that is greater than or equal to 0.5 mm, thereby hardening the part. The resulting part has a surface hardness greater than or equal to 50 HRC, a hardness of the combination layer greater than or equal to 400 HV0.05, and a hardness of the part greater than or equal to 500 HV0.05 at a depth of 500 μm. The high-frequency induction quenching operation is performed without the application of a protective film on the part prior to the induction quenching operation.