In order to improve the lifetime of continuous casting,ZrO_2-MoSi_2 composite powder used for plasmaspraying was prepared via spray drying and vacuum sintering.The microstructure and characteristics of the powder were investigated by particle size analysis,scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction,respectively.The results show that the average viscosity and settlement rate are 60.43 mPas and 1.86%,respectively,when adding ammonium polyacrylate as a dispersant and polyvinyl alcohol as a binder.The powder obtained at the solid content of 70 wt.%,the dispersant amount of 1wt.%,the binder of 10 wt.%,and the sintering temperature of 1200 “C has the spherical agglomerate and a moderate size,which can be melted on the composite coating surface with a good compactness via plasma-spraying. In order to improve the lifetime of continuous casting, ZrO 2 -MoSi 2 composite powder used for plasmaspraying was prepared via spray drying and vacuum sintering. The microstructure and characteristics of the powders were investigated by particle size analysis, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, respectively. These results show that the average viscosity and settlement rate are 60.43 mPas and 1.86%, respectively, when ammonium polyacrylate as a dispersant and polyvinyl alcohol as a binder. The powder obtained at the solid content of 70 wt.%, the dispersant amount of 1 wt.%, the binder of 10 wt.%, and the sintering temperature of 1200 ”C has the spherical agglomerate and a moderate size, which can be melted on the composite coating surface with a good compactness via plasma-spraying.