Technologies based on the use of non-equilibrium plasmas have become virtually irreplaceable in diverse application fields. These range from modification/functionalization of surfaces of medical implants, production of functional thin films or nanostructured materials, light generation, environmental remediation, ozone generation or sterilization/decontamination of surfaces. However, there is a clear trend in the last few decades to substitute low-pressure plasma systems with the ones operated at atmospheric pressure. The interest in atmospheric pressure plasmas is stimulated not only by the decrease in equipment costs by avoiding expensive pumping systems of conventional low-pressure plasma devices but also by the possibility to process objects non-compatible with vacuum conditions. The latter triggered off rapid development of brand new scientific fields – plasma medicine and plasma agriculture.

In this work, we briefly review the main operational principles of atmospheric pressure plasma sources, as well as the advantages/drawbacks of atmospheric plasma for a better understanding of the capabilities and limitations of the atmospheric plasma processing technology compared with conventional low-pressure plasma processing technologies. Subsequently, the possible use of two common atmospheric pressure plasma systems - dielectric barrier discharges and atmospheric pressure jets - will be demonstrated on the selected examples. The main emphasis will be given to the issues connected with the control of the wetting/drying/condensation of liquids on plasma-treated polymers, use of plasma pre-treatment on metallization of surfaces or their improved biocompatibility, application of atmospheric pressure plasma for deposition of nanostructured thin films, treatment of seeds with an aim to improve their germination, and last, but not least, the attention will also be devoted to the removal of organic deposits/contaminants, including pathogens, from different types of surfaces.

References:

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[2] Khomiakova, N.; Hanuš, J.; Kuzminova, A.; Kylián, O. Investigation of Wettability, Drying and Water Condensation on Polyimide (Kapton) Films Treated by Atmospheric Pressure Air Dielectric Barrier Discharge. Coatings 2020, 10, 619.

[3] Homola, T.; Prukner, V.; Artemenko, A.; Hanus, J.; Kylian, O.; Simek, M. Direct treatment of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) and melon (Cucumis melo) seeds by amplitude-modulated dielectric barrier discharge in air. Journal of Applied Physics 2021, 129, 193303.

[4] Bilek, M.M.M.; Vandrovcová, M.; Shelemin, A.; Kuzminova, A.; Kylián, O.; Biederman, H.; Bačáková, L.; Weiss, A.S. Plasma treatment in air at atmospheric pressure that enables reagent-free covalent immobilization of biomolecules on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Appl. Surf. Sci. 2020, 518, 146128.

This work was partly supported by the grant GAČR 21-05030K financed by the Czech Science Foundation.