In order to improve the performance of Cr-containing steel as an interconnect material for solid oxide fuel cells, CoFe alloy coatings with Co:Fe ratios of 9:1, 8:2, 7:3, 6:4, and 5:5 are deposited by electrodeposition and then oxidized to Co x Fe 1-x oxide coatings with a thickness of ~6 µm as protective layers on the interconnect. The area specific resistance ofthe coated interconnect increases with the Fe content. Higher Co content oxide coatings are more effective in limiting the growth ofthe chromia scale while all coatingsare effective in inhibiting Cr diffusion and evaporation.With the Co 0.8 Fe 0.2 oxide coated interconnect, the electrochemical performance of the Sm 0.5 Sr 0.5 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3 cathode is improved. Only 1.54 atomic percentage of Cr is detected on the surface of the Sm 0.5 Sr 0.5 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3 cathode while no Cr is detected 0.66 µm or more into the cathode. Co x Fe 1-x oxide coatings are promising candidates for solid oxide fuel cellinterconnects with the advantage of using existing cathode species for compatibility and performance enhancement.