High-Cr white cast iron(WCI)matrix wear resistant composite reinforced with WC-Co cemented carbide rods was prepared by evaporative pattern casting process. The interfacial microstructure between the cemented carbide rods and the iron matrix

as well as the wear behavior of the fabricated composite

was investigated on the three-body abrasive wear tester. It is found that owing to the surface layer dissolution of the cemented carbide rods and the resulting inter-diffusion of W

Co

Fe

C and Cr

a transition layer about 800 μm in thickness is formed in the interface

where these elements combine into different carbides to ensure metallurgical bonding of the rods and matrix. The results of three-body abrasive wear test show that the wear resistance of the composite gets 6 - 8 times of the high-Cr WCI due to the high hardness of the reinforcement and the perfect metallurgical bonding between the reinforcement and the matrix

which leads to protection effect on the matrix during wear process.