A　mixture　of　30　vol.%　SiC　and　70　vol.%　Ni-based　alloy　was　clad　onto　steel　substrate　using　laser　multi-track　overlapping　process.　Microstructure　and　dry　sliding　wear　behavior　of　the　overlapped　cladding　were　studied.　SiC　particles　completely　dissociated　during　the　processing.　The　microstructure　of　the　cladding　layer　differs　widely　throughout　the　cladding　layer,　typical　microstructure　is　composed　of　net-like　dendrite　M23　(C,B)6,　cellular-dendrite　Ni31Si12,　γ-Ni　+　Ni　3B　interdendritic　lamellar　eutectic,　with　very　small　amount　of　spherical　graphite　in　the　upper　part　of　the　cladding　layer.　Interestingly,　significant　amounts　of　net-like　M23(C,B)　6　carboboride　dendrites　as　wear　resistant　skeleton　were　formed　and　uniformly　dispersed　in　the　cladding　layer.　Meanwhile,　small　graphite　spheres　scattered　in　the　upper　part　of　the　cladding　layer　can　also　give　contribution　towards　reducing　friction　as　a　self-lubricant.　The　novel　microstructure,　therefore,　is　beneficial　for　wear　resistance.　Friction　and　wear　tests　without　lubricant　show　that　the　friction　coefficients　of　the　cladding　layer　is　less　than　that　of　hardened　steel,　but　the　sliding　distance　characteristics　of　the　friction　coefficients　of　the　cladding　layer　are　in　good　agreement　with　that　of　the　steel.　There　exists　an　approximately　linear　relationship　between　wear　weights　and　sliding　distances,　and　wear　weight　increases　with　an　increase　of　sliding　speed　at　the　same　sliding　distance.　Wear　rate　slightly　increases　with　an　increase　of　sliding　distance,　and　the　wear　rate　of　the　cladding　layer　is　about　one　order　less　than　that　of　the　hardened　steel.　©　2003　Elsevier　Science　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.