NOVELTY - The method for making an electrode comprises thermal spraying onto a substrate mixture having copper-containing material and second material, and coating second material on the substrate. The second material has a melting temperature greater than a melting temperature of the copper-containing material to provide coating on the substrate. The coating comprises a mixture of first copper-containing phase and second phase of the second material. The first and second phases are crystalline phases. The mixture comprises first powder and second powder.    USE - Useful for anode fabrication for a fuel cell (claimed). Useful for direct oxidation of solid oxide fuel cells.    ADVANTAGE - The method has a short processing time, a material composition flexibility and controllable spraying parameters, and is cost effective.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The method for making an electrode comprises thermal spraying onto a substrate mixture having copper-containing material and second material, and coating second material on the substrate. The second material has a melting temperature greater than a melting temperature of the copper-containing material to provide coating on the substrate. The coating comprises a mixture of first copper-containing phase and second phase of the second material. The first and second phases are crystalline phases. The mixture comprises first powder and second powder. The first and second powder comprises particles having a rounded configuration and spray-dried powder. The particles of the first and second powders are spherical. The second powder is made up of particles having diameters of 20-40 microns. The first powder is made up of particles having diameters of 35 microns/less. The mixture comprises admixing a pore former with the first and second powders. The copper containing material comprises a copper oxide having cupric oxide. After thermal spraying of the mixture, reducing the copper oxide to provide a metallic copper phase in the coating. The coating comprises 40 vol% of copper. The thermal spraying comprises plasma spraying. The plasma spraying comprises introducing the mixture into a plasma stream substantially on an axis of the plasma stream. The plasma spraying is performed by a mixture of nitrogen and argon gases. The ratio of nitrogen to argon is 40:60plus minus10%. The plasma spraying is performed by plasma gun having a nozzle. The ratio of plasma gas flow rate to a cross-sectional area of the nozzle is 140 l/minxCm2plus minus10%. The plasma spraying located at a distance between the substrate and the plasma gun is less than 150 mm. The plasma spraying is performed in air. The plasma spraying comprises layers having differing compositions. The mixture has a cobalt containing material. The melting temperatures of the copper-containing material and the second material differ by 1500degreesC. INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for:    (1) a method for forming a porous copper-containing coating on a substrate;    (2) an anode for a fuel cell; and    (3) an apparatus.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The diagram shows a method for making an electrode:    Substrate; (22)    Mixture; (23)    Co-deposit materials of mixture; (24)    Reduce deposited metal oxide to metal. (26)