Constructing　the　film　with　a　green　corrosion　inhibitor　is　the　key　to　metal　corrosion　protection.　This　study　reports　an　environmentally　friendly　graphene　oxide　(GO)　and　carboxymethyl　cellulose　(CMC)　composite　films　(CMC@GO)　with　enhanced　corrosion　protection　performance.　The　CMC@GO　composite　film　was　grown　on　AZ31　magnesium　alloy　by　the　layer-by-layer　(LbL)　assembly　method.　Fourier　transform　infrared　(FT-IR)　spectroscopy　and　the　solid-state　NMR　Spectrometer　reveal　the　successful　modification　of　CMC　on　the　surface　of　GO　nanosheets.　The　chemical　states　and　the　surface　morphology　of　the　CMC@GO　composite　film　were　obtained　from　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　(XPS),　scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM)　and　atomic　force　microscopy　(AFM).　The　electrochemical　measurements　and　equivalent　circuit　fitting　results　demonstrate　that　the　film　containing　GO　composites　has　higher　corrosion　resistance　than　the　film　of　undoped　GO.　The　CMC@GO　composite　film　exerted　the　corrosion　inhibition　effect　of　GO,　owing　to　the　synergistic　protective　effect　of　GO　and　CMC.　©　2019　Elsevier　B.V.