An　Fe　based　cored　wire　was　used　to　deposit　wear　resistant　coatings　containing　Fe　based　amorphous　phase　and　nanocrystallites　on　Q235　steel　substrate　by　arc　spraying.　The　microstructure　of　the　coatings　was　investigated　by　scanning　electron　microscopy　and　transmission　electron　microscopy.　Electron　probe　microanalyser　and　X-ray　diffraction　analysis　were　used　to　study　the　chemical　compositions　and　phase　compositions　in　the　coatings.　The　microhardness　of　the　coating　was　determined.　The　wear　behaviour　of　the　coatings　was　evaluated.　The　results　showed　that　the　coatings　contained　Fe　based　amorphous　phase　and　other　crystallites　such　as　Fe2B,　Cr2B,　M-23(C,　B)(6),　Fe3O4　and　alpha-(Fe,　Cr).　Some　of　the　crystallites　show　grain　sizes　of　＜30　nm.　The　coatings　were　hard.　Compared　with　the　reference　sample　of　commercial　3Cr13　coating,　the　coatings　showed　a　much　higher　wear　resistance;　the　relative　wear　resistance　of　the　amorphous　coating　was　8　times　higher　than　that　of　commercial　3Cr13　coating.