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In their original forms, carbon nanotubes (CNT) are spatially entangled. To make CNT papers (CNTPs), the CNT agglomerates must be dispersed and re-entangled into a planar sheet. The processing characteristics are very different from those of traditional buck-form nanocomposites. This article examines the processing, micro-structures, and failure behavior of the CNTP composites. The CNTPs were first made by a dispersion and filtering process. Then, an epoxy resin was added into the CNTP by using a vacuum bag method. Different CNT weights were employed to make the CNTPs with different thicknesses and areal weights. The CNTP allows direct resin impregnation along the thickness direction and avoids the difficulty of dispersing CNTs in the viscous resin. The CNT content can be much higher than that attainable in traditional bulk CNT composites. Both tensile and tearing tests were conducted, and the fracture behaviors were examined. POLYM. COMPOS., 37:1564-1571, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]