In this study, the preparation, properties, and characterization of thin films or nanopapers of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were studied. Specifically, a layer-by-layer nanopaper preparation method was used, which significantly improved the mechanical properties of nanopapers. The effect of CNF nanopaper on the cure kinetics of a low temperature epoxy resin was studied. A modified autocatalytic model was used to represent the reaction kinetics. It was found that the presence of CNF nanopaper substantially increased the resin reaction rate and final conversion. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012