A time-dependent oxidation of carbon fibers in boiling nitric acid was used to investigate the influence of a modification of the fiber surface properties on the adhesion strength with an acrylate resin cured by electron beam (EB). For each time of treatment, a characterization of the surface topography and the surface chemistry was done (topography at a micrometric and nanometric scale, specific surface area, temperature programmed desorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis). The oxidation of the fiber surface in boiling nitric acid created a rough surface, which significantly increased the specific surface area, and also generated a high density of hydroxyl groups, carboxylic acids and lactones in comparison to untreated fibers. The adhesion strength with the acrylate resin cured by EB was measured by a pull-out test. For comparison, an isothermal ultraviolet curing of the matrix was also investigated. The value of the interfacial shear strength, determined by the Greszczuk's model, was increased by the oxidation of the carbon fiber surface for both curing processes, but lower values were systemically obtained with EB curing. Figure 11. Roughness of the surface of IMS 5000 fibers, perpendicular to the fiber axis, after different times of oxidation: a = 10 min, b = 20 min, c = 45 min, d = 1 h, e = 90 min, f = 2 h. Reference UV curing HNO 3 45 min 60 AE 3 HNO 3 45 min argon 41 AE 3Characterization of interfaces in composites cured by electron beam