Carbon nanotube (CNT)-reinforced epoxy composites are one of the most the predominant materials used in the aerospace, shipbuilding and wind turbines industries due to their: Low weight/resistance ratio, Thermal stability, High wear resistance, Low water absorption, and Less shrinkage in curing. Anchoring amine groups onto the surface of the CNTs can further enhance the mechanical properties of composites by improving the interfacial interactions between the CNTs and the epoxy matrix. The amine moieties can form covalent bonds between the CNTs and the epoxy matrix by reaction with the epoxide ring of epoxy chains. The reaction rate of amine moieties with epoxy chains is very low; thus, it requires high activation energy. In this study, different forms of activation energy, as a pre-curing process, has been studied to accelerate the reaction rate of chain opening and consequently enhancement of interfacial interactions between the CNTs and the epoxy matrix.

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