Long-time　environmental　protection　of　metallic　materials　is　still　required　in　the　manufacturing　and　engineering　applications.　Nickel-graphene　nanocomposite　coatings　have　been　prepared　on　carbon　steel　using　sodium　dodecyl　sulfate　(SDS)　as　a　dispersant　in　the　electrolyte　by　an　electrochemical　co-deposition　technique.　In　this　study,　the　effects　of　surfactants　on　graphene　dispersion,　carbon　content　in　the　coatings,　surface　morphology,　microstructures,　microhardness　and　corrosion　resistance　properties　of　the　nanocomposite　coatings　are　explored.　The　results　indicate　that　the　reasonably　good　graphene　dispersion,　coarser　surface　morphology　and　reduction　in　grain　sizes　are　achieved　upon　increasing　the　surfactant　concentration　in　the　electrolyte.　The　surfactant　also　influences　the　preferred　orientation　of　grains　during　electrodeposition;　the　(200)　plane　is　the　preferred　orientation　for　the　nanocomposite　produced　with　SDS　in　the　bath　electrolyte.　The　microhardness,　adhesive　strength　and　corrosion　performance　of　the　nickel-graphene　nanocomposite　coatings　are　found　to　increase　with　the　increasing　concentration　of　sodium　dodecyl　sulfate　in　the　deposition　bath.　Moreover,　the　influencing　mechanism　of　surfactant　concentration　on　the　properties　of　nanocomposite　coatings　has　been　discussed.