Polymer-ceramic composite coatings manufactured from calcium carbonate and ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymer (EMAA) were prepared via a thermal spray process employing different CaCO3 filler sizes (average size of 2.8, 9 or 36 mum) and loading levels from about 2.5 to 7 wt%. The optimum filler feeding characteristics, deposition efficiency and deposition rate were obtained with a 36 mum sized CaCO3. Tensile properties, peel strength, and the erosion resistance of a pure EMAA and CaCO3- EMAA composite coatings were investigated. It was found that the tensile strain at fracture of the composite coating decreased with the addition of filler to a greater degree than that observed in compression-molded polymer composites. This is attributed to an inhomogenous distribution of the filler, with more being concentrated at the boundaries of the deposited polymer particles, thereby establishing a rigid framework within the coating. Only a small filler content is necessary to establish large changes in the mechanical properties of the coating. The peel strength of a composite coating decreases with filler content, both on a mild steel substrate and a previously sprayed polymer coating. Bonding to the latter is significantly higher and offers a possibility as a bonding layer between substrates and composite coatings. The coefficient of friction is lowered with the addition of a filler. Erosion testing has shown that the erosion resistance of PF111 is little improved overall with filler addition, although some increase is found for filler contents less than 5 vol%. (C) 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.