Atmospheric Pressure Plasma for Carbon Material Modification and Synthesis: A Comprehensive Review

Atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) has emerged as a versatile tool for the functionalization, modification, and synthesis of carbon-based materials. This review summarizes the historical development, underlying principles, and current progress of APP in material science, with a particular focus on carbon nanomaterials. The fundamentals of plasma parameters are introduced to highlight their roles in driving plasma–surface interactions and establish the diagnostics for these parameters. Recent advances in gas-phase and plasma–liquid systems and the influence of different plasma chemistries have led to different material functionalization results, which are discussed. Applications of plasma-treated carbon in energy storage, environment, and biomedicine are critically reviewed, demonstrating significant improvements in electrochemical performance, adsorption efficiency, and biocompatibility. Finally, current challenges are outlined alongside future perspectives on integrating APP. This review aims to provide a comprehensive reference for researchers seeking to exploit APP as a green and scalable platform for next-generation carbon materials.