This work demonstrates the efficacy in performing an electrochemical pretreatment on carbon fibres to improve the effect of plasma polymerization of acrylic acid on these surfaces. Modified samples demonstrated improve physical properties including tensile strength and Young’s modulus, as well as an increase in composite performance as measured by the interfacial shear strength. The electrochemical pretreatment was shown to enhance the advantages observed when coating fibres using plasma polymerization.
