This paper investigates the joint effect of high current pulsed electron beam (HCPEB) and denaturant CeO2on improving the microstructure and properties of Al-20SiC composites prepared by powder metallurgy. Grazing Incidence X-ray Diffraction (GIXRD) results indicate the selective orientation of aluminum grains, with Al(111) crystal faces showing selective orientation after HCPEB treatment. Casting defects of powder metallurgy were eliminated by the addition of CeO2. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results reveal a more uniform distribution of hard points on the surface of HCPEB-treated Al-20SiC-0.3CeO2composites. Microhardness and wear resistance of the Al-20SiC-0.3CeO2composites were better than those of the Al matrix without CeO2addition at the same number of pulses. Sliding friction tests indicate that the improvement of wear resistance is attributed to the uniform dispersion of hard points and the improvement of microstructure on the surface of the matrix after HCPEB irradiation. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of HCPEB and CeO2to enhance the performance of Al-20SiC composites.