An austenitic stainless steel material that has a passivation film on a surface is provided. The austenitic stainless steel material has a chemical composition consisting of, in mass%, C: 0.10% or less, Si: 1.0% or less, Mn: 8.0-10.0%, P: 0.030% or less, S: 0.003% or less, Cr: 15.0-18.0%, Ni: 7.0-9.0%, N: 0.15-0.25%, Al: 0.005-0.20%, Ca: 0.0005-0.01%, Cu: less than 1.0%, Mo: less than 1.0%, B: 0-0.0050%, Nb: 0-0.50%, Ti: 0-0.50%, V: 0-0.50%, W: 0-0.50%, Zr: 0-0.50%, Co: 0-0.50%, Mg: 0-0.005%, Ga: 0-0.005%, Hf: 0-0.10%, REM: 0-0.10%, and the balance: Fe and impurities. An f value, namely, [Ni + 0.72Cr + 0.88Mo + 1.11Mn - 0.27Si + 0.53Cu + 12.93C + 7.55N], is more than 29.5 and less than 32.5.

A novel method of blackening surgical needles is disclosed. Surgical needles having outer surfaces are first placed into a first pretreatment bath having a novel composition. The needles are then placed into a second blackening bath having a novel composition for a sufficient period of time to effectively blacken the surfaces of the needles. The novel methods for blackening the surfaces of a stainless steel alloy surgical needle provide a chromium (VI)-free alternative to current needle manufacturing processes. Another unique feature of this novel method is its short processing time. The blackening processes of the present invention can be utilized for in-line treatment processes which can be easily incorporated into high speed needle manufacturing processes, such as strip mounted processes. In addition, the processes of the present invention are readily adaptable to batch processes. Also disclosed are novel systems for blackening surgical needles and novel blackening baths for surgical needles.

A surface treatment agent capable of forming a hexavalent chromium-free chemical conversion coating that can provide an excellent corrosion-resistant coating on various metallic materials; a metallic material having a surface treatment coating obtained therefrom; and a method of producing the same. A free fluorine ion-containing surface treatment agent for surface-treating a metallic material, which is obtained by mixing at least one supply source (A) of trivalent chromium-containing ions A; a supply source (B) of ions B that are at least one selected from titanium-containing ions and zirconium-containing ions; a water-soluble or water-dispersible compound (C) containing an alkoxysilyl group, an aromatic ring, a hydroxy group directly bonded to the aromatic ring, and at least one of primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary amino groups, wherein the alkoxysilyl group is bonded to the nitrogen atom of the amino group directly or via an alkylene group; and a fluorine-containing compound (D) providing fluorine-containing ions.

Disclosed is a stainless steel having excellent surface electrical conductivity for a fuel cell separator. According to an embodiment of the disclosed stainless steel having excellent surface electrical conductivity for a fuel cell separator, a value of the following surface oxide atomic ratio (1) may be 0.08 or more, as measured on the surface of a stainless steel containing 15 wt % or more of Cr by X-ray angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy using an Al-Kα X-ray source under the condition where a take-off angle of photoelectrons is from 12° to 85°.

[00001]$\begin{array}{cc}\frac{\mathrm{sum}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{atomic}\mathrm{concentrations}\left(\mathrm{at}\%\right)\mathrm{of}\mathrm{Cr}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{Cr}\mathrm{hydroxide}}{\begin{array}{c}\mathrm{sum}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{atomic}\mathrm{concentrations}\left(\mathrm{at}\%\right)\mathrm{of}\mathrm{metal}\mathrm{elements}\\ \mathrm{in}\mathrm{total}\mathrm{oxides}\mathrm{and}\mathrm{hydroxides}\end{array}}& \left(1\right)\end{array}$

The Cr hydroxide represents CrOOH, Cr(OH).sub.2, or Cr(OH).sub.3. The total oxides and hydroxides include a Cr oxide, the Cr hydroxide, an Fe oxide, an Fe hydroxide, and a metal oxide (MO), and the metal oxide (MO) includes a mixed oxide, wherein M represents an alloying element other than Cr and Fe or a combination thereof in a matrix, and O represents oxygen.

Please amend the Abstract as originally filed as shown below wherein additions are indicated using underlining and deletions are indicated using strikethrough or double brackets in accordance with 37 C.F.R. § 1.121(b)(2):

Realized is ferritic stainless steel which has excellent high-temperature strength and excellent red scale resistance. The ferritic stainless steel contains not more than 0.025% by mass of C, 0.05% by mass to 3.0% by mass of Si, 0.05% by mass to 2.0% by mass of Mn, not more than 0.04% by mass of P, not more than 0.003% 0.03% by mass of S, not more than 0.5% by mass of Ni, 10.5% by mass to 25.0% by mass of Cr, not more than 0.025% by mass of N, 0.05% by mass to 1.0% by mass of Nb, not more than 3.0% by mass of Mo, not more than 1.8% by mass of Cu, not more than 0.2% by mass of Al, and not more than 0.5% by mass of Ti. The sum of the concentrations of Cr and Si, each of which is present as oxide or hydroxide, at a surface of the ferritic stainless steel and at depths to 6 nm from the surface is a given value or more.

A novel method of blackening surgical needles is disclosed. Surgical needles having outer surfaces are first placed into a first pretreatment bath having a novel composition. The needles are then placed into a second blackening bath having a novel composition for a sufficient period of time to effectively blacken the surfaces of the needles. The novel methods for blackening the surfaces of a stainless steel alloy surgical needle provide a chromium (VI)-free alternative to current needle manufacturing processes. Another unique feature of this novel method is its short processing time. The blackening processes of the present invention can be utilized for in-line treatment processes which can be easily incorporated into high speed needle manufacturing processes, such as strip mounted processes. In addition, the processes of the present invention are readily adaptable to batch processes. Also disclosed are novel systems for blackening surgical needles and novel blackening baths for surgical needles.

A SUS surface treatment method for manufacturing a polymer-SUS joint structure having excellent bond strength is provided. A SUS surface treatment method for bonding with a polymer composite including a first etching step wherein the SUS surface is etched by acidic solution, a surface treatment step wherein the SUS surface is treated by ultrasonic wave, a second etching step wherein the SUS surface is etched again by acidic solution, a first silane coupling treatment step wherein the SUS surface is treated by anodic oxidation, a third etching step wherein the SUS surface is etched by acidic solution, and a second silane coupling treatment step wherein the SUS surface is treated by anodic oxidation.

A cold-rolled steel sheet has excellent chemical convertibility and excellent corrosion resistance after coating. A method of manufacturing a cold-rolled steel sheet includes first pickling applied to a steel sheet which is continuously annealed after cold rolling, second pickling applied to the steel sheet subsequently and, thereafter, neutralizing treatment applied to the steel sheet using an alkaline solution.

Ferritic stainless steel is characterized by including, by mass %: Cr: 12.0% to 16.0%; C: 0.020% or less; Si: 2.50% or less; Mn: 1.00% or less; P: 0.050% or less; S: 0.0030% or less; Al: 2.50% or less; N: 0.030% or less; Nb: 0.001% to 1.00%; one or more of B: 0.0200% or less, Sn: 0.20% or less, Ga: 0.0200% or less, Mg: 0.0200% or less, and Ca: 0.0100% or less; and a balance consisting of Fe and impurities, in which Expression (1) is satisfied.
10(B+Ga)+Sn+Mg+Ca>0.020  (1)

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.