Conjugating of multi-scale tannic acid/3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane nanospheres and MXene nanosheets onto carboni fibers for high-performance epoxy composites

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Abstract
Developing efficient surface modification strategies to enhance interfacial adhesion has become a crucial research direction for fully exploiting the mechanical and functional capabilities of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites. In this study, based on the concept of organic-inorganic multi-scale heterogeneous structure design, we demonstrated the process of assembling organic tannic acid/(3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (TA/A) three-dimensional(3D) nanospheres and inorganic MXene (MX) two-dimensional(2D) nanosheets onto the surface of carbon fiber (CF) to prepare high-performance MX-TA/A-modified CF/epoxy (CF/EP) composites. The spherical TA/A nanostructures not only increase the surface roughness of CFs, generating mechanical interlocking with the EP matrix, but also provide a hierarchical interface that enhances stress distribution under external loading. Moreover, the incorporation of MX nanosheets introduces a high-aspect-ratio nanostructure with abundant surface terminations, providing additional active sites for interfacial interactions and serving as a mechanical reinforcement that resists interfacial debonding. The TA/A–MX assembly strategy provides a versatile and sustainable route for designing multifunctional interfacial layers on CFs. It effectively integrates the benefits of polyphenol adhesion chemistry, silane coupling, and 2D nanomaterial reinforcement. This approach not only enhances the interfacial bonding strength and toughness of CFRP composites but also offers a generalizable platform for fabricating high-performance fiber-reinforced materials for aerospace, automotive, and structural applications.

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