The cyclic oxidation behavior of plasma surface chromising coating on titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) was researched in air at 650 degrees C, 750 degrees C and 850 degrees C. A NiCrAlY coating was prepared by multi-arc ion plating as a comparison. The surface morphologies, microstructures and phases of both coatings before and after oxidation were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). The results show that the chromising coating consisted of an outer layer of loose Cr deposition, an intermediate layer of compact Cr deposition and an inner Ti-Cr mutual diffusion layer. The multilayer oxide scales formed in the oxidation process, which has the better cyclic oxidation resistance compared with NiCrAlY thermal barrier coating. However, the brittleness of Ti(Cr, Al)(2) laves phase resulted in spallation of oxide scales at 750 degrees C and 850 degrees C. (C) 2012 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.