Abstract: An oxidation resistant coating is produced on carbon-base materials, and the same processing step effects an infiltration of the substrate with silicon containing material. The process comprises making a slurry of nickel and silicon powders in a nitrocellulose lacquer, spraying onto the graphite or carbon-carbon substrate, and sintering in vacuum to form a fused coating that wets and covers the surface as well as penetrates into the pores of the substrate.Optimum wetting and infiltration occurs in the range of Ni-60 w/o Si to Ni-90 w/o Si with deposited thicknesses of 25-100 mg/cm.sup.2. Sintering temperatures of about 1200.degree. C. to about 1400.degree. C. are used, depending on the melting point of the specific coating composition.The sintered coating results in Ni-Si intermetallic phases and SiC, both of which are highly oxidation resistant. The final coating composition can be further controlled by the length of the sintering time.