## 4 Conclusions  
In the present study, the morphological, structural, and electrochemical characterization of samples coated with a layer of NiCrAIY deposited using the EB-PVD method, before and after exposure in water at 550 \({}^{\circ}\)C and 25 MPa for up to 2160 h, was investigated.  
All of the studied samples gained weight according to the gravimetric analysis, and the oxidation of the 310H alloy covered with NiCrAIY in water at 550 \({}^{\circ}\)C follows a logarithmic law; with an oxidation time increase, the oxide thicknesses increased, and the corrosion rates decreased. The lowest value of the corrosion rate of 0.27 \(\upmu\)m \(\times\) year\({}^{-1}\), obtained for the coated sample and oxidized for the longest period, has better corrosion resistance.  
The GDXRD analyses revealed the presence of NiCrAIY as the deposition layer in the coated and unoxidized samples. In the coated and oxidized samples, chromium oxide  
Figure 11: Dependence of the corrosion rate on the coating thickness.  
(Cr\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{3}\)) and the Corundum phase (Al\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{3}\)) were identified. Additionally, an increase in the intensity of peaks characteristic of Cr\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{3}\) and Al\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{3}\) was observed with longer oxidation times.  
SEM analysis highlighted the deposition of an initial layer of NiCrAlY on the surface of stainless steel, which exhibited discontinuities, and whose thickness measured by SEM in a cross-section was 1.48 \(\upmu\)m. The coating layer is granular, without visible defects (pores, cracks). After oxidation, a thin, compact, and uniform oxide layer was formed on sample surfaces. A mechanism for the growth of the oxide layer consisting of two stages was proposed, as follows: one fast and the other slower, after which a mixed oxide layer on the surface and an underlying Al\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{3}\) is formed.  
The EIS analysis with Bode and Nyquist diagrams and equivalent circuits showed that the 310H steel samples coated with NiCrAlY using the EB-PVD method and oxidized for the longest period of time have a better corrosion resistance, which is a conclusion evidenced by the potentiodynamic method as well. The highest protective efficiency value (99.55%) and the lowest porosity value (1.67 \(\times\) 10\({}^{-4}\)%) observed over a longer time in the case of oxidized samples suggested the development of greater protective coatings on their surface.  
This is further supported by the lower values of corrosion current densities, corrosion rates, higher corrosion potentials, and higher polarization resistances reported in oxidized samples for a longer period of time.  
Based on the obtained and detailed results, including the electrochemical aspects, a more complete behavior in the aggressive media of an EB-PVD coating on 310H alloys was discussed, and a good correlation between gravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and the electrochemical method was found.  
Conceptualization, F.G., A.-E.T. and I.D.; methodology, F.G., A.-E.T. and L.F.M.; software, A.-E.T. and L.F.M.; validation, F.G. and I.D.; formal analysis, A.-E.T. and L.F.M.; investigation, F.G. and A.-E.T.; resources, F.G.; data curation, F.G., A.-E.T. and I.D.; writing--original draft preparation, F.G., A.-E.T. and I.D.; writing--review and editing, F.G. and I.D.; visualization, F.G. and I.D.; supervision, I.D.; project administration, F.G.; funding acquisition, F.G. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
This research was funded by a grant from the National Program for Research of the National Association of Technical Universities, GNAC ARUT 2023.  
Not applicable.  
The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors upon request.  
The authors would like to thank the National Association of Technical Universities for providing the resources that supported this work.  
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.