ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the plasma treatment of surfaces in which plasma active species interact only very superficially with the material, i.e. with the adsorbed surface monolayers or with the first few monolayers of the surface material itself. Such interactions can significantly affect the surface energy, wettability, printability, adhesion, and other commercially important properties of surfaces. Plasma surface treatment may be classified by the nature of the material treated, such as thin films, fabrics, solids, natural fibers, and polymer fibers. Plasma surface treatment can be effected by either active or passive plasma exposure. Plasma exposure is capable of removing contaminants from the surfaces of solids or thin films to effect plasma cleaning. Plasma surface treatment has been used to improve the adhesive bonding of plastics and other solid materials to each other. Plasma treatment of the surface of all the fibers in a natural fabric can be expected to improve its dyeability, wickability, cohesion, and strength.
