30　vol.%　WCp　reinforced　Ni-Cr-B-Si-C　composite　coatings　were　deposited　on　A1SI1045　steel　by　laser　cladding.　The　typical　microstructures　and　the　phases　present　in　the　coatings　were　investigated　using　scanning　and　transmission　electron　microscopies.　It　was　found　that　WC　particulates　partially　dissolved　on　the　surface　of　the　particulates　in　the　melt　pool　during　the　laser　cladding.　Upon　cooling,　the　bar-like　alpha-W2C,　blocky　beta-W2C　and　quadrilateral　eta(1)M(6)-C　carbides　were　formed　from　the　laser-generated　melt　pool,　and　the　final　eutectic　reaction　resulted　in　the　formation　of　gamma-Ni　+　Ni3B　lamellar　eutectic.　The　rapidly　solidified　microstructure　of　the　laser　melt　is　composed　of　gamma-Ni+Ni3B　lamellar　eutectic　in　which　bar-like　alpha-W2C,　blocky　beta-W2C　and　quadrilateral　eta(1)-M6C　carbides　are　distributed.　The　coating　thus　consists　not　only　of　thermodynamically　stable,　but　also　of　metastable　phases.　The　presence　of　the　latter　can　be　attributed　to　the　nonequilibrium　solidification　arisen　from　the　high　cooling　rates　involved　during　the　processing.　(C)　1999　Elsevier　Science　S.A.　All　rights　reserved.