Mastering the development and industrial behavior of 2D phenolic matrix composite materials reinforced by carbon fibers for aeronautical and space applications implies understanding the phenomena concomitant with the pyrolysis of these materials. The work presented here deals with the consequences of the carbonization (300-1250 K) of the matrix on the structure, morphology and composition of the constituents of these composites, on the mechanical properties of the interfaces and the resulting materials. The physico-chemical surface properties of the carbon fibers studied first made it possible to explain the evolution of interfacial shear stresses measured on model composites treated at different temperatures. A model of evolution of the st...