Candidate coating materials for re-usable metallic nuclear fuel crucibles, HEN, TiC, ZrC, and Y2O3, were plasma-sprayed onto niobium substrates. The coating microstructure and the thermal cycling behavior were characterized, and U-Zr melt interaction studies carried out. The Y2O3 coating layer had a uniform thickness and was well consolidated with a few small pores scattered throughout. While the HEN coating was not well consolidated with a considerable amount of porosity, but showed somewhat uniform thickness. Thermal cycling tests on the HEN, TiC, ZrC, and Y2O3 coatings showed good cycling characteristics with no interconnected cracks forming even after 20 cycles. Interaction studies done on the coated samples by dipping into a U-20wt.%Zr melt indicated that HEN and Y2O3 did not form significant reaction layers between the melt and the coating while the TiC and the ZrC coatings were significantly degraded. Y2O3 exhibited the most promising performance among HEN, TiC, ZrC, and Y2O3 coatings. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.