Very good gradings on matrix rings are epsilon-strong

Abstract

We investigate properties of group gradings on matrix rings $M_n(R)$, where $R$ is an associative unital ring and $n$ is a positive integer. More precisely, we introduce very good gradings and show that any very good grading on $M_n(R)$ is necessarily epsilon-strong. We also identify a condition that is sufficient to guarantee that $M_n(R)$ is an epsilon-crossed product, i.e. isomorphic to a crossed product associated with a unital twisted partial action. In the case where $R$ has IBN, we are able to provide a characterization of when $M_n(R)$ is an epsilon-crossed product. Our results are illustrated by several examples.