For　the　aim　of　thermal　barrier　application　in　vehicle　engines,　a　specific　FeCrNbBSiC　cored　wire　of　consideration　was　produced　to　fabricate　amorphous　coating　by　wire-arc　spraying.　The　microstructure　and　thermal　conductivity　of　the　as-deposited　coating　were　characterized　in　detail.　The　results　show　that　the　FeCrNbBSiC　coating　(FB　coating)　primarily　consists　of　amorphous　phase　owing　to　the　combination　of　proper　composition　design　and　rapid　quenching　of　wire-arc　spraying.　However,　a　fraction　of　crystalline　phases　coexists　with　the　amorphous　matrix,　due　to　the　both　effects　of　partially　incomplete　alloying　and　continuous　annealing.　Depending　on　the　expected　amorphous　structure,　thermal　conductivity　of　the　developed　FB　coating　is　as　low　as　2.15　W/mK　at　room　temperature,　almost　half　of　the　referenced　316L　stainless　steel　coating　(SS　coating,　4.20　W/mK),　and　displays　relatively　slow　and　limited　increase　with　elevated　temperature　up　to　500　degrees　C.　By　means　of　temperature　distribution　analysis,　an　obviously　higher　temperature　is　found　on　the　top　surface　of　FB　coating　covered　piston,　which　implies　a　benefit　of　enhancing　heat　energy　conversion.　Simultaneously,　the　temperature　of　aluminium　alloy　substrate　could　also　be　reduced　by　covered　coating　as　the　role　of　thermal　insulation.　Therefore,　the　wire-arc　sprayed　FeCrNbBSiC　amorphous　coating　developed　here　with　excellent　thermal　barrier　performance　and　economic　advantage　could　be　a　promising　innovation　and　candidate　for　metal-based　thermal　barrier　coatings　applied　in　vehicle　engines.　(C)　2019　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.