Buildings account for a significant share of global energy consumption and carbon emissions, creating an urgent need for advanced energy retrofit technologies. This review critically examines the role of plasma-modified textile polymer materials in improving the energy efficiency and durability of building retrofit systems. Various textile polymers, including polyester (polyethylene terephthalate, PET), polypropylene (PP), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyamide (PA), and fiber-reinforced composites, are evaluated in relation to plasma surface engineering approaches, including atmospheric plasma, dielectric barrier discharge (DBD), and plasma jet treatment. Reported studies demonstrate that plasma treatment significantly alters surface morphology and chemistry, resulting in increased surface roughness, enhanced wettability, improved coating adhesion, and superior hydrophobic behavior. Water contact angles increased from approximately 70° to 145° depending on polymer type and plasma conditions, while reflective coating performance improved with solar reflectance enhancements of approximately 10–15%. Plasma-treated reflective roofing and shading textiles also showed reductions in building cooling energy demand of approximately 18–25% and roof temperature decreases of 10–15 °C. Furthermore, plasma-induced surface activation improved durability, ultraviolet (UV) resistance, and weather stability of textile membranes used in facade and roofing applications. The review also discusses industrial challenges related to scalability, plasma aging effects, energy consumption, and long-term performance. Plasma-modified systems demonstrate strong potential for multifunctional, lightweight, and sustainable building envelope technologies for future energy-efficient construction. 8. Case Studies To understand the practical application of plasma-modified textile polymer materials, it is important to review various research and industrial case studies. Two important case studies in which plasma-treated textile materials were used to improve the energy performance of buildings are presented below: 8.1. Case Study 1: Reflective Plasma-Treated Roofing Textiles for Cooling Energy Reduction Building roofs are a major source of solar heat gain. Especially in hot climates, roof heat gain increases the internal temperature of the building, which results in increased reliance on cooling systems. To address this problem, reflective roofing systems are used that reflect solar radiation. In a research study, PET fabric was treated with oxygen plasma and then a reflective ceramic coating was applied to it [ 103]. After plasma treatment, contact angle measurements and surface energy analysis showed that the surface energy increased significantly, which allowed the coating to spread better over the surface. When this material was applied to the roof of an experimental building, an increase in solar reflectance of approximately 12–18% was observed. The use of reflective coatings can reduce roof temperatures by 10–15 °C. The experiments conducted in this case study also showed that the coating maintained its performance for a long time due to improved adhesion of the coating after plasma treatment. Energy analysis showed that the use of reflective plasma-treated roofing textiles reduced the cooling energy consumption of the building by approximately 20% [ 104]. This case study shows that energy savings can be achieved by using plasma-modified textile materials in reflective roofing systems. 8.2. Case Study 2: Smart Plasma-Treated Textile Shading Systems for Energy-Efficient Buildings The use of shading systems is considered to be very effective for solar heat control in buildings. If adequate shading is provided on windows and facades, solar heat can be prevented from entering the building interior. Appropriate shading systems can reduce the cooling energy consumption of buildings by about 30% [ 105]. In a research project, atmospheric plasma treatment was applied to PP fabric to improve its surface properties. After plasma treatment, an increase in surface roughness and wettability was observed, which allowed for the effective deposition of reflective nanoparticles on the surface [ 106]. The textile was then installed in an experimental building as a smart shading system. Experimental results showed that the plasma-treated shading textile was able to reflect about 60% of the solar radiation. As a result, an average decrease of 3–4 °C was observed in the internal temperature of the building. Furthermore, energy analysis showed that the use of this system reduced the energy consumption of air conditioning by about 18–25%. Self-cleaning properties were also observed in this case study as the textile surface became more hydrophobic after plasma treatment. Plasma-modified textile polymer materials represent a highly promising class of multifunctional building-envelope materials for sustainable retrofit technologies. Their ability to combine lightweight structural performance with tunable surface functionality offers significant opportunities for the development of next-generation energy-efficient architectural systems.
Polymers, Vol. 18, Pages 1395: Advanced Plasma-Modified Textile Polymer Materials for Building Energy Retrofit Technologies
