Nuclear fuel rods，as the second radioprotective barrier of nuclear power core，are highly susceptible to be scratched by fixed frames during installation. The existing protective coating of nuclear fuel rods faced challenges such as poor protective effects and inadequate cleaning. Based on the emulsion polymerization technique，polyacrylate emulsion with balanced hardness and flexibility was synthesized and used to prepare waterborne scratch resistant coatings. The results showed that coatings particle size distribution was narrow；the coating showed thermal stability below 200 ℃. The scratch morphology was ductile fracture，and the water contact angle decreased to 48. 66°. Furthermore，the optimal scratch resistance and washability were obtained after being baked at 90 ℃ for 30 min. This coating was expected to reduce surface scratches on nuclear fuel rods，contributing to the safe development of China's nuclear power industry.