The carbon fiber M40 J was woven with two braided structures（3 D orthogonal and laminated stitch）

and the C

f

/Al composites were prepared by vacuum pressure infiltration method. Tensile tests were carried out on notched specimens and smooth specimens with the same size. Microstructure and interface characteristics of the composites were observed and analyzed by SEM and TEM. The tensile properties of two kinds of braided C

f

/Al composites with notches were investigated

and the influence of notches on the properties of composites and the sensitivity of composites with different braided structures to notches were analyzed. The results show that the tensile properties of C

f

/Al composites with two kinds of braided structures are obviously weakened due to the notches. The tensile strength of notched specimens of 3 D orthogonal C

f

/Al composites is decreased by 141.3 MPa compared with that of smooth specimens to about 23.7%

and its notch tensile sensitivity coefficient is 1.31. The tensile strength of notched specimens of laminated stitch C

f

/Al composites is decreased by 121.8 MPa compared with that of smooth specimens about 28.9%

and its notch tensile sensitivity coefficient is 1.41. The laminated stitch structure is more sensitive to the notches than the 3 D orthogonal structure.