A method of forming a gradient coating onto an exterior surface of a zirconium alloy cladding, comprising: providing the zirconium alloy cladding which inherently has a zirconium oxide-containing layer at least partially formed on the exterior surface; providing a coating composition, comprising: a first component selected from the group consisting of zirconium, zirconium oxide, and mixtures thereof; and a second component selected from the group consisting of Zr 2 AlC ceramic, Ti 2 AlC ceramic, Ti 3 AlC 2 ceramic, Al 2 O 3, aluminum, zirconium silicide, amorphous and semi-amorphous alloyed stainless steel, and mixtures of Zr 2 AlC ceramic, Ti 2 AlC ceramic and Ti 3 AlC 2 ceramic; and kinetically depositing the coating composition onto the zirconium oxide-containing layer on the exterior surface of the cladding, wherein an amount of the first component and an amount of the second component in the coating composition are varied during this depositing step, such that the first component initially constitutes an excess by weight and there is a remainder of the second component based on total weight of the coating composition, and subsequently during this depositing step, an amount of the first component successively decreases and an amount of the second component successively increases in the coating composition to form the gradient coating having a gradient, such that as a thickness of the coating emanates from the exterior surface of the cladding toward an exposed outer surface of the coating, percent by weight of the first component decreases from the exterior surface of the cladding toward the exposed outer surface of the coating, and percent by weight of the second component increases from the exterior surface of the cladding to the exposed outer surface of the coating, such that the second component constitutes an excess by weight in the exposed outer surface. providing the zirconium alloy cladding which inherently has a zirconium oxide-containing layer at least partially formed on the exterior surface; providing a coating composition, comprising: a first component selected from the group consisting of zirconium, zirconium oxide, and mixtures thereof; and a second component selected from the group consisting of Zr 2 AlC ceramic, Ti 2 AlC ceramic, Ti 3 AlC 2 ceramic, Al 2 O 3, aluminum, zirconium silicide, amorphous and semi-amorphous alloyed stainless steel, and mixtures of Zr 2 AlC ceramic, Ti 2 AlC ceramic and Ti 3 AlC 2 ceramic; and a first component selected from the group consisting of zirconium, zirconium oxide, and mixtures thereof; and a second component selected from the group consisting of Zr 2 AlC ceramic, Ti 2 AlC ceramic, Ti 3 AlC 2 ceramic, Al 2 O 3, aluminum, zirconium silicide, amorphous and semi-amorphous alloyed stainless steel, and mixtures of Zr 2 AlC ceramic, Ti 2 AlC ceramic and Ti 3 AlC 2 ceramic; and kinetically depositing the coating composition onto the zirconium oxide-containing layer on the exterior surface of the cladding, wherein an amount of the first component and an amount of the second component in the coating composition are varied during this depositing step, such that the first component initially constitutes an excess by weight and there is a remainder of the second component based on total weight of the coating composition, and subsequently during this depositing step, an amount of the first component successively decreases and an amount of the second component successively increases in the coating composition to form the gradient coating having a gradient, such that as a thickness of the coating emanates from the exterior surface of the cladding toward an exposed outer surface of the coating, percent by weight of the first component decreases from the exterior surface of the cladding toward the exposed outer surface of the coating, and percent by weight of the second component increases from the exterior surface of the cladding to the exposed outer surface of the coating, such that the second component constitutes an excess by weight in the exposed outer surface.