The microstructures and hardness of nickel-based WC

p

/Ni60 composite layers prepared by plasma transfer arc surfacing with different transfer arc currents were analyzed to study the effect of transfer arc current on WC particles reinforced nickel-based（WC

p

/Ni60） composite layers. By controlling different transfer arc currents

Ni60 +25% WC（casting） powder was deposited on the Q235 carbon steel plate by plasma transfer arc surfacing

and well-formed and crack-free plasma deposition layers were successfully obtained under reasonable technological conditions;the hardness of the deposition layer was positively correlated with the transfer arc current of plasma surfacing

when the transfer arc current was135 A

the hardness was more than 590 HV5. The WC

p

/Ni60 composite layers of plasma surfacing under different transfer arc currents had obvious stratification phenomena. In the upper layers

the coarse star-shaped and needle-like Cr23 C6 were distributed in the nickel-based solid solution and nickel-based eutectic microstructures. The sectional area ratio of WC particles in the lower layers increased from about 15% at 165 A to about 40% at 135 A.