A novel sandwich-like structure material was exploited for the fabrication of an effective corrosion resistance system. An environmentally friendly composite material was synthesized by installing 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ) on the surface of graphene oxide (GO). In order to prevent leakage of corrosion inhibitor 8-HQ GO/8-HQ was modified by polydopamine (PDA), denoted as GO/8-HQJPDA. A sandwich-like structure (GO/8-HQJPDA) enables long-term stable storage of corrosion inhibitor in the protective matrix. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were utilized to verify the sandwich-like structure of GO/8-HQJPDA. The electrochemical tests in a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution showed that the addition of well-dispersed GO/8-HQ/ PDA into epoxy system (GO/8-HQJPDA-EP) remarkably improved corrosion protection of AZ31 b magnesium alloy compared with pure epoxy (EP) coating. The sandwich structure protects the activity and structural integrity of the corrosion inhibitor (8-HQ). The corrosion inhibitor (8-HQ) of the GO/8-HQJ PDA sandwich structure cuts off the ion exchange between the metal alloy and the electrolyte solution, which hinders the electrochemical corrosion of the metal. A possible corrosion resistance mechanism of GO/8-HQJPDA is fully discussed. This study provides feasibilities for the immobilization of corrosion inhibitors on the metal surface. (C) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.