Abstract: A method for obtaining a floor covering comprising one or more resilient polymer substrates coated with a protective layer is described, wherein said layer contains one or more amorphous inorganic components and has a Vickers hardness of more than 1 GPa and a modulus of elasticity (Young's modulus) of less than 80 GPa, using a delayed cold plasma that induces a decomposition reaction of a volatile precursor compound so that a thin film of said amorphous inorganic component is formed on said substrate. A floor covering comprising one or more resilient polymer substrates obtained by the method of the invention is also described, wherein the substrate is coated with a protective layer containing one or more amorphous inorganic components and with a Vickers harness of more than 1 GPa and a modulus of elasticity (Young's modulus) of less than 80 GPa.

Abstract: To increase the anti-wettability of a body vis a vis a fluid the body is subjected in a treatment enclosure to a post-discharge nitrogen plasma. A fluorinated vapor is fed into the plasma on the input side or on the output side of the discharge cavity.

Abstract: A method for increasing homogeneously the wettability of a porous body vis a vis a fluid includes a step in which the porous body is exposed in a treatment chamber to a nitrogen plasma generated by an electromagnetic wave discharge in nitrogen gas. Applications include increasing the wettability of a marker tip.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of treating a packaging element, specially a sealing element, comprising the coating with a polymer film of at least those parts of said element which are liable to be in contact with the products packaged, wherein said coating is produced by polymerization, assisted by cold-far-remote-plasma, of at least one monomer chosen from siloxanes and silazanes of formula: ##STR1## in which: A represents an oxygen atom or the NH group and;R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 represent, independently, a hydrogen atom or an alkyl or alkoxy group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, preferably a methyl group. Application: stoppers intended for a medical or pharmaceutical use.

Abstract: A process for forming a coating on a surface of a textile fiber, comprising subjecting the fiber surface to first and second process phases while passing the fiber through a reaction medium comprising a cold flowing plasma containing an active species, the first phase including treating the fiber surface in order to increase its adhesive properties, and the second phase including introducing a polymerizable material comprising at least one of a prepolymer and a monomer into the cold flowing plasma in the presence of the fiber under conditions sufficient to induce the formation of a polymerized coating on the fiber surface, polymerization being induced by the active species.

Abstract: A workpiece having a surface to be metallised is placed in an enclosure. A plasma is produced in a plasma tube which extends into the enclosure, the plasma having a post-discharge zone in which the surface to be metallised is placed. Vapour of a metal carbonyl compound is injected into the enclosure, such compound dissociating in the post-discharge plasma to cause the metal to be deposited on the surface.