In order to meet the development needs of lightweight, high power density and high reliability of marine power system, ZL109 aluminum alloy has been widely used in piston manufacturing due to its low density, high strength ratio, light weight and excellent mechanical properties under the special working conditions of cylinder liner-piston friction pair in marine low speed diesel engine. The working environment of the cylinder liner-piston friction pair is often under the condition of poor oil lubrication, resulting in partial semi-dry friction or even dry friction. To enhance the wear resistance of the ZL109 aluminum alloy surface, many scholars have studied the surface strengthening treatment technology of ZL109 aluminum alloy. However, traditional surface treatment technologies still have some deficiencies in terms of cost and coating performance. Micro-arc oxidation, also known as liquid phase plasma electrolytic oxidation, is an advanced metal surface treatment technology. It generates micro-arc discharge at the interface between the metal and the electrolyte through precisely controlled pulsed current, thereby promoting the formation of a dense and highly adherent oxide film on the metal surface. Micro-arc oxidation technology has the advantages of low cost, environmental friendliness, no need for strict surface pretreatment, and the ability to control the surface morphology of the ceramic layer through process parameters. Therefore, it is easy to combine with other technologies to prepare functional coatings. The novel mechanism is established through surface-modified micro-arc oxidation (MAO) coatings and a kind of lubricant additive (MoS₂). The surface-modified micro-arc oxidation is accomplished by aminating the surface of MAO coatings with 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane. To analyze the influence of micromorphology of MAO coatings on the novel anti-friction and anti-wear mechanism, the coatings prepared by different forward duty cycles were systematically studied in terms of reaction process, micromorphology, thickness, surface roughness and chemical composition. Friction and wear tests were carried out to characterize the tribological property of the MAO coatings. The microstructure, thickness, porosity and average pore size of the ceramic layer were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, Image J software, optical profilometer and X-ray diffractometer. Then, amino functional groups were introduced on the surface of the ceramic layer by amination treatment. The surface modified ceramic layer was detected by infrared spectrometer, and the amino functional group was successfully grafted on the surface of the ceramic layer. Combined with the lubricating oil containing MoS₂, a stable chemical adsorption film of MoS₂ at the friction interface was formed at the friction and wear scratches. The results show that a chemical adsorption film of MoS₂ was successfully established on the surface of worn surface by surface amination, the action of frictional physical and chemical reactions, and the micro-contact formed by the porous promontories fabricated by MAO. Furthermore, the coefficient of friction was reduced by around 50 percent compared with the level of the MAO coating without amination and ZL109 substrate, and the wear amount of the coating prepared by duty cycle 70% is near 0.3 mg.