Low　cost　arc　spraying　and　cored　wires　were　used　to　deposit　composite　coatings　consisting　of　TiB2　and　TiB2/Al2O3　hard　particles　in　a　Ni(Cr)　and　stainless　steel　304L　matrix.　Four　coatings　were　prepared　namely　Ni(Cr)-TiB2,　Ni(Cr)-TiB2/Al2O3,　304L-TiB2　and　304L-TiB2/Al2O3.　The　microstructural　characteristics　of　powders　and　coatings　were　observed　by　scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM).　Phase　compositions　of　powders　were　analyzed　by　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD).　Although　all　the　analyzed　coatings　exhibited　similar　lamella　structure,　remarkable　differences　not　only　in　the　morphology　of　hard　phase　and　matrix　but　also　in　the　size　and　distribution　of　hard　phases　were　observed　from　one　coating　to　another.　Tribological　behavior　of　the　coatings　was　analyzed　in　room　temperature　dry　sliding　wear　tests　(block-on-ring　configuration),　under　75　N　at　low　velocity　(0.5　m/s).　The　coatings　showed　far　high　wear　resistance　than　low　carbon　steel　substrate　under　same　conditions　examined.　Wear　loss　of　304L-TiB2　and　Ni(Cr)-TiB2　coatings　were　lower　nearly　15　times　than　that　of　steel　substrate.　TiB2　hard　phases　in　coatings　bonded　well　with　metal　matrix　contributed　to　high　wear　resistance.　(C)　2007　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.