This book is a collection of invited papers (previously published in special issues of the Journal of Adhesion Science and Technology) written by internationally recognized researchers actively working in the field of plasma surface modification. It provides a current, comprehensive overview of the plasma treatment of polymers. In contrast to plasma polymerization, plasma surface modification reactions do not cause thin-film deposition, and can therefore only modify the surface properties of organic substrates. Plasma surface modifications are fast, efficient methods for improving the adhesion properties and other surface characteristics of a variety of polymeric materials. The focus of this volume is on adhesion phenomena, surface properties and the surface characterization of plasma-treated materials. This book opens with a critical review of the plasma surface modification of polymers for improved adhesion. The remainder of the papers are divided into two sections, one dealing with the characterization of plasma-treated surfaces and the second concerned with various practical applications of plasma-treated surfaces