In　this　study,　graphene　oxide–cerium　oxide　(GO–CeO2)　hybrids　were　synthesized　through　an　in　situ　hydrothermal　approach　and　were　incorporated　into　epoxy　resin　to　prepare　a　robust　coating　for　aluminum　alloy　protection.　The　mechanical　properties　of　the　GO–CeO2-loaded　coating　were　characterized　by　nano-indentation,　friction-wear　test　and　pull-off　adhesion　test,　using　pristine　epoxy　coating　and　GO-loaded　epoxy　coating　for　comparison.　Results　revealed　that　GO–CeO2　addition　could　increase　the　hardness,　elastic　modulus　and　the　wear　resistance　and　decrease　the　friction　coefficient　of　the　composite　coating.　Compared　with　pristine　epoxy　coating,　the　adhesion　strength　of　GO–CeO2/epoxy　coating　increased　from　7.3 MPa　to　12.2 MPa.　Such　improvement　in　the　mechanical　properties　can　be　explained　by　the　good　dispersion　of　GO–CeO2　in　the　composite　coating.　In　addition,　salt　spray　and　electrochemical　impedance　spectroscopy　(EIS)　measurement　results　showed　that　the　corrosion　resistance　of　the　GO–CeO2-loaded　coating　was　significantly　enhanced.　After　30 days　of　salt　spray　test,　the　coating　resistance　of　the　GO–CeO2/epoxy　coating　was　17.8　and　3.5　times　higher　compared　with　that　of　the　blank　epoxy　coating　and　GO/epoxy　coating,　respectively.　The　superior　barrier　performance　of　the　composite　coating　was　mainly　ascribed　to　the　synergistic　effects　of　the　prolonged　pathway　against　corrosive　media　permeation　and　the　corrosion　inhibition　effect　of　CeO2　particles.　©　2021,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer　Science+Business　Media,　LLC　part　of　Springer　Nature.