that of silicon carbide sic hence the intermediate layer coating of the invention can comprise a graded layer coating with higher silicon carbide sic concentration at an intermediate layer coating substrate interface than at the interface between the intermediate layer coating external environmental thermal barrier coating interface the silicon concentration is greater toward the external environmental thermal barrier coating intermediate layer coating interface than at the interface between the intermediate layer coating substrate interface the final strata of the intermediate layer coating will consist essentially of silicon codeposition of silicon and silicon carbide is possible e g by controlling the hydrogen silicon h si ratio when silicon tetrachloride ch 3 sicl 3 and hydrogen are used the following examples are for illustration of the invention only and do not limit the scope of the present invention in these examples an intermediate layer coating was applied to a silicon carbide sic fiber reinforced melt infiltrated silicon silicon carbide si u2014 sic matrix a 60 u03bcm thick silicon intermediate layer coating was deposited at 1100 u00b0 c with sicl 2 h 2 and hydrogen for about 50 minutes at about 0 9 torr pressure a plasma mullite bond coat about 1 2 mil thick was deposited with a plasma yttria stabilized zirconia top coat that was about 1 mil thick the coating was subjected to oxidation testing at 1300 u00b0 c for about 200 hours the results of comparison between the coatings with the silicon intermediate.