Whenever we hear the word plasma, sometimes what strikes in our mind is that glowing bright gas which comes out from things like lightning prompted or even by some means stuff like sun itself. There is no question that plasma is a high-temperature gas, to be sure; I can understand the common confusion on this point. However, in physics, denoting "plasma" as its own phase of matter was an important way to differentiate it from gases and solids. Think of it as like a fourth state of matter. In plasma, the atoms and molecules are charged in tiny parts. This means that they have either more or fewer electrons than neutral atoms This property of plasma makes it interesting and a bit useful in many scientific processes.
Plasma polymerization is one of these processes. It is a process that applies very thin layers of materials, or coatings, on a wide variety of surfaces using plasma. In order to achieve this, an new form of a chamber known as a vacuum chamber is filled with particles of gas by scientists. Next, they introduce energy into the system, converting the gas to plasma. When it is at the plasma stage, it interacts with materials to form a unique coating which is referred to as a polymer. Depending on how it is made, the polymer coating can have a range of properties.
These types of coatings are superior to the typical coatings we see on a daily basis, and that is exactly what you would expect from Plasma polymer coatings. Indeed one of the biggest advantages is that we have control over how the coating will act. The process allows us to produce coatings, such as a coating that adheres very well to the surface, remains durable over time or has specific properties by carefully choosing particular gas and adjusting conditions in the chamber.
Plasma polymer coatings can, for example, be used to make plastics more efficient or protect metals against rust and corrosion. You can even create the to sense molecules, which is very helpful in scientific and medical application. These coatings, moreover, can be tuned to affect whether a surface feels wet or dry based on what is required. This flexibility is one of the reasons why butyl rubber stopper coatings boast such popularity across a number of industries.
Throught the years, a great number of researchers and physicians started using plasma polymerization to manufacture thin films in addition to customized coatings. Rapidly growing interest in these technologies is, in part, due to the impressive evolution of plasma technology that can provide a new finishing touch with precisely controlled properties very easily. That means scientists can make the coatings faster and at scale, in comparison to earlier.
In addition, plasma polymers offer very good adhesion properties. The adhesion of the hooks is extraordinarily strong which makes them very versatile in their application. These polymers can be created to have certain properties — they may be biocomplatible, hydrophilic (attracting water), or hydrophobic (repelling water). This flexibility not only are trains to achieve hydrophilic and hydrophobic coatings, but also the fact of designing a coating for a specific usage. Plasma Polymer has outstanding resistance to chemicals and thermal stability, and because of which it is durable for long lifetimes.
That could lead to even more advanced coatings in the future. Others might be made to resemble the characteristics of bones or muscles. It could be particularly valuable for medicine, where you may want to insert such materials into implants or other medical gadgets. In the future, we might also find plasma polymer coatings in new applications such as foldable electronics or fitness-related wearables. The potential for plasma polymer technology has no bounds thanks to continued research and development efforts.