A gas-tight cobalt-based protective coating was successfully applied by electroplating and subsequent oxidation. The coating covered all the surfaces of the machined gas channels of the metallic interconnect and adhered well to this substrate. Such a gas-tight coating offers effective blocking of Cr diffusion or evaporation from the interconnect and hence a reliable protection against Cr poisoning of the SOFC cathode. Chemical interactions were observed between the cobalt coating and the LSM contact layer, resulting in layer spallation during oxidation under pressureless conditions. Applying a pressure to the layers, spallation was effectively prevented. Although the area specific resistance (ASR) of the coated interconnect was higher than the uncoated one, it decreased steadily with time within the measurement period. The ASR was 28 m Omega cm(2) after an exposure of 1170 h. It seems thus that electroplating followed by oxidation is a promising method for the fabrication of spinel protective coatings for SOFC interconnects or other balance-of-plant components with complicated gas flow paths. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.