The work aims to prepare self-crosslinking cationic acrylic emulsion to improve the corrosion resistance of the resin on the ADC12 aluminum alloy surface. Taking butyl acrylate (BA) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) as monomers, polymerizable polyhydroxy organic amine as a functional monomer, and N-hydroxyethyl acrylamide (HEAA) as a crosslinking agent monomer, the self-crosslinking cationic acrylic emulsion was prepared by semi-continuous emulsion polymerization. The passive film was prepared on ADC12 aluminum alloy plate by dipping method. The emulsion were characterized by laser nanoparticle sizer and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Tafel polarization curve measurement, AC impedance spectroscopy (EIS), copper sulfate drop corrosion test and neutral salt spray test were used to compare and analyze the corrosion resistance of the resin passivating film with or without crosslinking monomer. The average particle sizes of self-crosslinking cationic acrylic emulsion with HEAA as the crosslinking monomer were 88~96 nm and the particle size distribution were uniform. The glass transition temperature of the acrylic emulsion resin were also significantly increased. When the HEAA content is 2%, the average particle size of the emulsion is 88 nm, the particle size distribution is uniform, the glass transition temperature is increased by 18.8 ℃, and the passivating film has no corrosion after 24 h neutral salt spray test, the corrosion current density is 2.609×10?7 A/cm2, the corrosion potential is ?0.592 V, and the corrosion resistance time of copper sulfate is 53 s. The addition of the crosslinking monomer HEAA can effectively increase the crosslinking density of the resin passivating film, hinder the intrusion of corrosive media, and improve the corrosion resistance of the resin passivating film.