Functional epoxy composites reinforced with cotton fabric layers coated with conducting polypyrrole (ppy) were prepared. Oxidative vapor phase polymerization was used to obtain thin coating of ppy. When embedded within the epoxy resin (2, 4 and 6 layers), the resulting composites showed improved flexural strength (up to 20.7 %, 26.9 % and 19.7 % for respective layers) and highly reduced water absorption (up to 61.2 %) after 24 hours at 35 °C than those containing uncoated cotton layers. The conducting fabric layers allowed composites to heat upon voltage application via Joule’s effect. Statistical modelling revealed good correlation with experimental data and the influence of number of fabric layers, electrode area and applied voltage on peak temperature was studied. Composite with 6 layers showed highest peak surface temperature (92 °C) at 24 V and demonstrated a uni-directional shape recovery (greater than 60 %) when subjected to electric-heating after being deformed previously under load.

制备了用涂有导电聚吡咯（ppy）的棉织物层增强的功能性环氧复合材料。氧化气相聚合用于获得ppy的薄涂层。当包埋在环氧树脂（2、4和6层）中时，所得复合材料在24小时后显示出更高的挠曲强度（各层分别高达20.7％，26.9％和19.7％）并大大降低了吸水率（高达61.2％）在35°C的情况下比放置未覆盖棉层的时间要长25小时。导电织物层通过焦耳效应使复合材料在施加电压时加热。统计模型表明与实验数据具有良好的相关性，并研究了织物层数，电极面积和施加电压对峰值温度的影响。