The effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) coating in the presence of polyethyleneimine (PEI) of different molecular weights (MW) on the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of carbon fiber/acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) and carbon fiber/epoxy composites was investigated. The IFSS between the carbon fiber and the polymer was evaluated by means of single fiber microbonding test. The results indicated that uses of the carbon fibers uncoated and coated with pristine, low MW PEI-treated, and high MW PEI-treated MWCNT significantly influenced the IFSS of both thermoplastic and thermosetting carbon fiber composites as well as the carbon fiber surface topography. The incorporation of low MW (about 1300) PEI into the carboxylated MWCNT was more effective not only to uniformly coat the carbon fiber with the MWCNT but also to improve the interfacial bonding strength between the carbon fiber and the polymer than that of high MW (about 25,000) PEI. In addition, carbon fiber/epoxy composite exhibited the IFSS much higher than carbon fiber/ABS composite due to the chemical interactions between the epoxy resin and amine groups existing in the PEI-treated MWCNT.

In this research, carbon nanotubes(CNT) and graphene nanoplates(GnP) are deposited on the surface of carbon fibers(CF) at once. Investigating the effect between CNT and GnP on increasing the interfacial and mechanical properties of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites(CFRP). The cross section of the CFRP composites indicates that the GnPs/CNTs hybrid coating exhibits significantly higher mechanical performance in all coating samples. The interlayer shear strength of the GnPs/CNT hybrid coated CFRP composite was 90% higher than that of the uncoated CF composite. The flexural and tensile strength of CFRP composites using GnPs /CNT hybrid coatings were improved by 52% and 70%, respectively, compared to uncoated CF.