From Basics to Frontiers: A Comprehensive Review of Plasma-Modified and Plasma-Synthesized Polymer Films

Abstract

This comprehensive review begins by tracing the historical development and progress of cold plasma technology as an innovative approach to polymer engineering. The study emphasizes the versatility of cold plasma derived from a variety of sources including low-pressure glow discharges (e.g., radiofrequency capacitively coupled plasmas) and atmospheric pressure plasmas (e.g., dielectric barrier devices, piezoelectric plasmas). It critically examines key operational parameters such as reduced electric field, pressure, discharge type, gas type and flow rate, substrate temperature, gap, and how these variables affect the properties of the synthesized or modified polymers. This review also discusses the application of cold plasma in polymer surface modification, underscoring how changes in surface properties (e.g., wettability, adhesion, biocompatibility) can be achieved by controlling various surface processes (etching, roughening, crosslinking, functionalization, crystallinity). A detailed examination of Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) reveals its efficacy in producing thin polymeric films from an array of precursors. Yasuda’s models, Rapid Step-Growth Polymerization (RSGP) and Competitive Ablation Polymerization (CAP), are explained as fundamental mechanisms underpinning plasma-assisted deposition and polymerization processes. Then, the wide array of applications of cold plasma technology is explored, from the biomedical field, where it is used in creating smart drug delivery systems and biodegradable polymer implants, to its role in enhancing the performance of membrane-based filtration systems crucial for water purification, gas separation, and energy production. It investigates the potential for improving the properties of bioplastics and the exciting prospects for developing self-healing materials using this technology.

The fractal geometry of polymeric materials surfaces: surface area and fractal length scales

“…As reported in the plasma-processing literature, both natural and synthetic polymeric surfaces have been manufactured at the nanoscale, for instance, to increase the adhesivity of materials to resins for coating 31,32 and the interfacial bonding of polymers to inorganic substrates. 33 The use of plasma techniques, to increase the surface roughness, finds important applications also in clothing, 34,35 packaging, 36,37 the food industry, 38 oil–water separation, 39 and the development of future polymeric surfaces to be used in the biomedical sector. 40,41…”

CFD-DEM model of a cold plasma assisted fluidized bed powder coating process

“…Typically, these coatings or functionalizations are made by polymerization of monomers or coating precursors. The value of plasma is that it offers an activating environment in which even typically non-reactive vapors can bond to inert surfaces (Dufour, 2023). The technology holds potential for many industrial applications.…”

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet Exposure of Polylactic Acid Surfaces for Better Adhesion: Plasma Parameters towards Polymer Properties

“…Nevertheless, in numerous applications, the surface characteristics of the polymers take precedence, necessitating meticulous focus on both finding and achieving these qualities. The usage of non-thermal plasma exposure is a procedure that is widely utilized for the purpose of modifying the surface properties of polymers [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ].…”

“…Hence, the need to have knowledge of all these parameters prompts the invention and optimization of the novel physico-chemical techniques capable of altering them. As previously stated, subjecting polymers to atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma can be a viable method for altering the surface and manipulating the structure through physical or chemical processes such as cleaning, etching, crosslinking, functionalization, and even polymerization [ 4 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]. The operating characteristics of plasma, such as applied voltage, discharge current density, electrical mean power, total power of emitted radiation, and excited and reactive species, have an impact on the primary processes occurring at the interface between plasma and polymer.…”