Research progress on preparation technology of carbon fiber prepreg for additive manufacturing

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composite (CFRP) has the characteristics of light weight, high strength, high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, fatigue resistance, excellent thermodynamic properties, etc. It is an ideal raw material for parts and components in aerospace, military equipment, medical equipment, rail transit and new energy industries. Carbon fiber prepreg is an intermediate product in the preparation of CFRP, and its quality determines the final performance of the composite. Additive manufacturing can rapidly shape complex parts at low cost, so the research and development of carbon fiber prepreg for additive manufacturing technology has become a research hotspot. The preparation of carbon fiber prepreg for additive manufacturing can be divided into unwinding, yarn spreading, modification, impregnation and cooling winding. This paper summarizes the research status of the preparation technology of carbon fiber prepreg for additive manufacturing, summarizes the principle and characteristics of different processes, and explains in detail the influence of different processes on carbon fiber prepreg for additive manufacturing and even composite materials. Finally, the existing problems in the preparation process of carbon fiber prepreg for additive manufacturing are summarized and its development direction is prospected.