Plasma polymer films (PPFs) are well-known for their enhanced stability compared to conventional polymer coatings. However, PPFs tend to undergo aging in air or in aqueous environments due to oxidation, hydrophobic recovery, hydrolysis and dissolution of oligomeric fragments. Such aging mechanisms cause modifications of the PPFs that entail a change in surface properties. For example, PPF surfaces which are probed for protein adsorption or cell adhesion might therefore be substantially different from the initial PPF. It becomes thus necessary to understand the chemical reactions involved in the chemical modification (and/or degradation) of PPFs. Here, a summary of the most important aging mechanisms occurring in PPFs is given. More precisely, chemical reactions that can potentially occur in oxygen- and nitrogen-containing plasma polymer films when stored in air and in water were highlighted. On the basis of this understanding, recent strategies to reduce or delay aging mechanisms and/or to provide time-controlled degradable PPFs are discussed: the enhancement of the degree of cross-linking, the formation of a gradient structure in the PPF during plasma deposition, and the chemical post-plasma treatment to reduce the number of reactive sites. Finally, potential applications of such coatings will be considered.

等离子聚合物薄膜（PPF）与传统的聚合物涂层相比，具有增强的稳定性。但是，由于低聚物片段的氧化，疏水性回收，水解和溶解，PPF倾向于在空气或水性环境中老化。这种老化机制引起PPF的改变，这导致表面性质的改变。例如，因此探测到蛋白质吸附或细胞粘附的PPF表面可能与初始PPF明显不同。因此，有必要了解PPF的化学修饰（和/或降解）所涉及的化学反应。在此，概述了PPF中发生的最重要的老化机制。更确切地说，强调了当储存在空气和水中时，含氧和氮的等离子聚合物薄膜中可能发生的化学反应。基于这种理解，讨论了减少或延迟老化机制和/或提供时间控制的可降解PPF的最新策略：增强交联度，等离子沉积过程中PPF中梯度结构的形成，以及化学等离子后处理，以减少反应位点的数量。最后，将考虑这种涂层的潜在应用。PPF在等离子体沉积过程中形成梯度结构，以及化学后等离子体处理以减少反应位点的数量。最后，将考虑这种涂层的潜在应用。PPF在等离子体沉积过程中形成梯度结构，以及化学后等离子体处理以减少反应位点的数量。最后，将考虑这种涂层的潜在应用。