Current research status of laser cleaning of carbon fiber reinforced polymers

Carbon fiber reinforced ploymers (CFRP) are lightweight, high strength, good chemical resistance and good processability. They are widely used in various fields such as aerospace, automobile, high-speed rail and wind power equipment. Surface cleaning is required to improve bond strength when CFRP are used as engineered structural components in connection with other materials. The use of conventional cleaning techniques, such as mechanical polishing, chemical cleaning, and ultrasonic cleaning, can result in damage to carbon fibers and deterioration of material properties. Laser cleaning is an efficient, non-destructive, green and safe new cleaning technology, which is an important means to enhance the serviceability of CFRP. In this paper, the mechanism of laser cleaning CFRP, the mechanical properties and bonding properties of CFRP after laser cleaning, the online monitoring and numerical simulation during the cleaning process are systematically described. Finally, the current limitations and future research directions of laser cleaning of CFRP are pointed out.