Nitrogen ion implantation and AlN/MoS2-phenolic resin duplex coating are designed to improve wear and corrosion resistance of magnesium alloys. The microstructure and tribocorrosion behaviors of as-fabricated coatings are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), tribocorrosion and electrochemical tests. Studies show that Cl ions induce severe corrosion degradation of magnesium alloy during the tribocorrosion test. MoS2-phenolic resin coating has two phase composite structure consisting of MoS2 crystalline and phenolic resin, but this coating shows poor tribocorrosion resistance because force-corrosion synergy interaction accelerates the degradation process. The introduction of nitrogen ion implantation and AlN interlayer remarkably retards the corrosion degradation process of magnesium alloy. AlN/MoS2-phenolic resin duplex coating exhibits better tribocorrosion resistance. These present results indicating that gradient duplex coating might be a good candidate as protective coating in engineering applications of magnesium alloys. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.