It's not the carbon fiber, its the resins. Some carbon fiber products have the resin applied when the final product is made, others have it pre-impregnated by the fiber manufacture. Prepreg fibers have to be used before the resins go bad.
I never heard of pre-impregnated fiber... Is it kept in a vacuum seal before getting formed?
No, it doesn't air cure. It is refrigerated to slow the reaction between causing it to cure.
It is formed and heated under pressure to cure. This is typically done in an autoclave.