NOVELTY - An oxidized metal matrix composite coated substrate, comprises a substrate made of a material selected from a chromia-forming iron (Fe), nickel (Ni) and/or cobalt (Co) based alloy, an oxidized metal matrix composite coating, an intermediate layer of a spinel solid solution formed by Cr and one or more of the deposited metals, and an electrically conductive top layer comprising oxides.    USE - The oxidized metal matrix composite coated substrate used in the form of an electrical interconnect device in a solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) stack (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The oxidized metal matrix composite coated substrate can be efficiently used as an electrical interconnect device for use at high temperature for oxidation protection.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An oxidized metal matrix composite coated substrate, comprises a substrate made of a material selected from a chromia-forming iron (Fe), nickel (Ni) and/or cobalt (Co) based alloy containing an amount of chromium (Cr) ranging from 16-30 wt.%, and an oxide-dispersion strengthened Cr-based alloy and a plain Cr-based alloy, and an oxidized metal matrix composite coating comprising at least two metals and reactive element oxide particles in the form of a tri-layer scale on the substrate surface comprising an inner chromia layer, an intermediate layer of a spinel solid solution formed by Cr and one or more of the deposited metals selected from Ni, Co, copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), Fe and zinc (Zn) and a mixture, and an electrically conductive top layer comprising oxides of one or more deposited metals selected from Ni, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn and a mixture, which is substantially free from Cr ions., and where one or more of such layers contain particles of doped or undoped oxides of a rare earth metal selected from cerium (Ce), yttrium (Y), lanthanum (La), hafnium (Hf), zirconium (Zr), gadolinium (Gd) and a mixture. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is a method of making the oxidized metal matrix composite coated substrate, comprising: (a) providing an electrodeposition cell, including an anode, a chromia-forming cathode substrate and an aqueous electrolyte, where the electrolyte comprises a source of a depositing metal selected from Ni, Cu, Mn, Cu, Fe, Zn and a mixture, and suspended particles of an insoluble doped or undoped oxide of a rare earth metal selected from Ce, Y, La, Hf, Zr, Gd and a mixture; (b) pre-treating the chromia-forming substrate to remove the native chromium oxide layer from the substrate surface; (c) pre-treating of the substrate, substantially free from oxide, by applying a thin (1 mu m) strike Ni or Co plating from a chloride based electrolyte containing hydrochloric acid to the substrate to prevent reformation of the native oxide; (d) electrodepositing of a composite coating onto the pretreated (Ni- or Co-coated) chromia-forming substrate in the electrodeposition cell, where the cathode is the pretreated chromia-forming substrate, and where electrodepositing of the composite coating onto the substrate is performed by applying a direct or pulsating current to the electrodeposition cell; and (e) oxidation in air of the coated substrate at elevated temperature, to form a unique composite tri-layer scale coating, comprising on the substrate surface an inner chromia layer, an intermediate spinel solid solution layer formed by Cr and one or more of the deposited metals selected from Ni, Cu, Co, Mn, Fe, Zn and a mixture, and a top layer comprising an electrically conductive oxide layer of the deposited metals selected from Ni, Co, Cu, Mn, Fe, Zn and a mixture, which is substantially free of Cr ions, where one or mote of such layers contain particles of doped or undoped oxides of a rare earth metal selected from Ce, Y, La, Hf, Zr, Gd and a mixture.