The　organic-inorganic　hybrid　coating　was　fabricated　for　anti-corrosion　application　using　bisphenol　A　diglycidyl　ether　(BADGE)　epoxy　resin　with　inorganic　silica　nanoparticles　prepared　by　sol-gel　method.　The　precursor,　tetraethyl　orthosilicate　(TEOS)　formed　via　hydrolytic　condensation　the　silica　dispersed　in　the　protective　coating　on　the　metal　substrate　that　could　prevent　the　permeation　of　corrosive　media.　In　order　to　increase　the　functionality　of　the　coating,　the　photocatalyst　zinc　oxide　(ZnO)　nanoparticles　were　added　to　bestow　the　light　degradation　on　the　coating.　The　as-fabricated　nanoparticles　and　coatings　were　analyzed　using　Fourier　Transform　infrared　spectroscopy　(FTIR),　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM)　and　UV–vis　spectrum　(UV–vis)　analysis.　The　anti-corrosion　performance　of　the　organic-inorganic　hybrid　coating　was　investigated　by　electrochemical　impedance　spectroscopy　(EIS)　and　salt　spray　tests.　Noteworthily,　EIS　results　showed　that　the　epoxy-silica　organic-inorganic　coating　was109Ωcm2,which　could　increase　the　impedance　modulus　(at　0.01　Hz)　of　Q215　steel　by　about　7　orders　of　magnitude　after　immersion　in　3.5　wt%　NaCl　aqueous　solution　for　96　h.　The　salt　spray　test　results　showed　that　metal　substrate　was　still　not　completely　corroded　after　68　days.　In　addition,　the　addition　of　ZnO　to　the　coating　has　photo-degradation　effect　on　methyl　orange　and　the　photo-degradation　efficiency　can　reach　55%.　©　2021　Elsevier　B.V.