providing an alloy substrate that includes about 0 wt. % diffusible elements, wherein the diffusible elements of which the alloy substrate includes about 0 wt. % is selected from the group consisting of carbon, nitrogen, boron, oxygen, and combinations thereof, wherein the step of providing the alloy substrate consists of only the step of providing the alloy substrate;

introducing one or more diffusible elements into the alloy substrate that includes about 0 wt. % diffusible elements to thereby form a diffusible-element-containing alloy substrate having a diffusible-element layer, wherein the one or more diffusible elements include carbon; and

introducing, after completion of the step of introducing the one or more diffusible elements into the alloy substrate that includes the about 0 wt. % diffusible elements to thereby form the diffusible-element-containing alloy substrate, the diffusible-element-containing alloy substrate to a material reactive with the one or more diffusible elements of the diffusible-element layer, wherein the material reactive with the one or more diffusible elements is selected from vanadium, aluminum, niobium, tantalum, and combinations thereof,

wherein the step of introducing the diffusible-element-containing alloy substrate to the material reactive with the one or more diffusible elements includes subjecting the diffusible-element-containing alloy substrate to an environment where the one or more diffusible elements will at least partially diffuse from the diffusible-element layer to thereby react with the material reactive with the one or more diffusible elements to form a coating layer including a reaction product thereof, to thereby form a coated alloy substrate, and

wherein the coating layer is a distinct layer from the diffusible-element-containing alloy substrate.