A wear resistant (Cr, Fe)(7)C-3/gamma-Fe ceramal composite coating was fabricated on substrate of a 0.45%C carbon steel by plasma transferred arc (PTA) cladding process using the Fe-Cr-C elemental powder blends. The microstructure, microhardness and dry-sliding wear resistance of the coating were evaluated. Results shown that the plasma transferred arc clad ceramal composite coating has a rapidly solidified microstructure consisting of blocky primary (Cr, Fe)(7)C-3 and the inter-blocky (Cr, Fe)(7)C-3/gamma-Fe eutectics and is metallurgically bonded to the 0.45%C carbon steel substrate. The ceramal composite coating has high hardness and excellent wear resistance under dry sliding wear test condition. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.