Interface　plays　a　critical　role　in　determining　the　electrical　properties　and　thermal　management　capability　of　carbon　(e.g.,　nanotubes,　graphene)　based　polymer　nanocomposites.　The　strong　interface　is　usually　desirable　and　realized　by　forming　the　covalent　interaction　between　nanocarbon　and　polymer　matrix.　However,　the　pristine　properties,　such　as　high　electrical　and　thermal　conductivity,　of　nanocarbon　are　inevitably　deteriorated　due　to　the　introduction　of　lattice　defects.　In　this　work,　a　nondestructive　strategy,　combining　mussel-inspired　chemistry　and　surface　initiated　reversible　addition　fragmentation　chain　transfer　(RAFT)　polymerization,　was　developed　to　prepare　lattice　defect　free　interface　between　carbon　nanotubes　(CNTs)　and　epoxy　resin.　Polydopamine　(PDA)　was　first　coated　on　the　CNT　surfaces　and　then　polymethyl　methacrylate　(PMMA)　or　polyglycidyl　methacrylate　(PGMA)　macromolecular　chains　were　grafted　onto　PDA　encapsulated　CNTs,　which　can　result　in　non-covalent　or　covalent　interface　between　CNTs　and　epoxy　resin,　respectively.　It　was　found　that　PGMA　encapsulated　CNTs　based　epoxy　nano　composites　show　apparent　advantages　in　increasing　dielectric　constants　and　suppressing　dielectric　loss　tangent,　as　well　as　enhancing　thermal　conductivity.　This　study　proves　the　superiority　of　the　covalent　interface　formed　by　nondestructive　functionalization　in　enhancing　the　dielectric　properties　and　thermal　management　capability　of　nanocarbon　based　polymer　composites.　(C)　2017　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.