Various methods including applying a coating material with an additive to an article are disclosed. The coating material may be in a powder form before a thermal spraying used to apply the coating material. The coating material may comprise a chromium nitride, a chromium carbide, a chromium silicide, or a tungsten carbide. Additional materials may be added, e.g., a molybdenum alloy such as molybdenum-chromium. In one aspect, thermal spraying includes melting the coating material, propelling the molten coating material toward the article to be coated, and coating the article with the molten coating material. In another aspect, the coated article is one or more piston rings.