Plasma-based process for functionalizing textile surfaces

A plasma-based method using organosilicon compounds forms a durable hydrophobic coating on textiles, addressing environmental concerns and enhancing resistance to liquid penetration and absorption.

FR3169486A1Pending Publication Date: 2026-06-12PROTECTUS

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
FR · FR
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
PROTECTUS
Filing Date
2024-12-05
Publication Date
2026-06-12

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Abstract

The invention relates to a method (100) for functionalizing a textile (T) by a plasma reactor (10) comprising: - a step (110) consisting of positioning said textile (T) in said reactor (10); - a step (120) consisting of injecting a reagent (R); - a step (130) consisting of generating a plasma in said reactor (10) at a pressure (PT), an activation power (PEA) and a duration (TA) chosen for the formation of an adherent hydrophobic coating on said textile (T); - a step (140) consisting of: i. varying the power of said reactor (10) between said activation power (PEA) and a working power (PET) distinct from said activation power (PEA) and non-zero; ii. exposing said textile (T) to the plasma according to said working power (PET) for a working time (TT), chosen for the formation of crosslinking gradients in the thickness of said coating. Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Fig.2
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Description

Title of the invention: Method for functionalizing textile surfaces by plasma technical field

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of functionalizing textile surfaces to make them hydrophobic and sterile. It specifically targets the use of plasma technology on textile surfaces. Prior art

[0002] In the textile industry, hydrophobicity and / or superhydrophobicity, specifically the ability to repel water or, more generally, liquids, has become essential for providing textiles with a variety of properties, such as waterproofing, soil-resistant, self-cleaning, and / or non-contaminating properties. Each textile possesses specific intrinsic properties. Indeed, textiles have their own surface morphologies (for example, the surface roughness of a fiber or textile filament and / or a textile pattern) that can enhance their hydrophobic character. However, it is very often necessary to improve such properties to meet the requirements of a specific application, such as, for example, in the field of operating room textiles.This is referred to as the functionalization of a textile, that is, a process to give new functions, characteristics or properties to a textile material by changing, in particular, its chemistry and / or surface topography.

[0003] To achieve the desired level of durable hydrophobicity in the textile industry, particularly for medical applications requiring sterile environments, known and proven solutions currently utilize long-chain fluorinated substances. However, these substances are highly controversial from a health and environmental perspective, especially with the emergence of environmental regulations such as REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals), the European regulation concerning the registration, evaluation, and authorization of chemicals, as well as the restrictions applicable to these substances. Commercial alternatives are available, but most result in significantly lower performance on the treated textile, both in terms of resistance to liquid penetration and the durability of this property.

[0004] In this context, emerging technologies enabling the production of textiles with new and more environmentally friendly characteristics, which use non-polluting products and consume less water and energy, are Under investigation in high-value markets, such as plasma technology, which involves using ionized gas through electrical discharges or high-frequency electromagnetic waves to modify the surface chemistry of textile fibers while preserving their appearance and intrinsic properties. This chemical vapor deposition technique can essentially lead to the formation of thin polymer films, generally a few nanometers to a few microns thick, which can be deposited onto the surface of materials with relatively complex geometries.

[0005] Based on this observation, the present inventors have identified, through specific studies, such as the scientific article entitled "Fluorine-free plasma polymers to obtain water-repellent cotton fabrics: how to control their durability?" published on October 25, 2023, in the journal Coatings, the potential of plasma technology for treating textiles to improve various properties, including wettability and resistance to liquids. According to this published study, it is possible to produce water-repellent coatings on cotton textiles using plasma technology coupled with environmentally friendly organosilicon compounds. However, such coatings do not achieve the water resistance and robustness (stability and durability of hydrophobicity) properties required, in particular, for the "water column test" in the medical field.Such a test involves measuring the textile's resistance to water pressure; in other words, how a water-repellent coating behaves when water droplets, and more generally, droplets of any liquid, are splashed onto the textile's surface. While such water-repellent coatings cause these droplets to slide off their surface, they cannot prevent the penetration and absorption of said liquid droplets when the liquid stagnates or is under pressure on the textile surface. Thus, such textiles resist but do not completely prevent liquid penetration into the fabric.

[0006] However, in the medical field, the preferred illustrative area of ​​application of the invention, even if the invention can be applied more broadly, the textiles used must have very good resistance to the penetration and absorption of liquids in order to prevent in particular any transmission of infectious agents between medical staff and patients. Description of the invention

[0007] The present invention therefore aims to improve the durable hydrophobic performance of textiles while preserving the environment and health. To this end, it proposes a method for functionalizing a textile surface using a plasma method employing compounds that are environmentally friendly and safe for health and that ensure that the treated textile has hydrophobic, sterile and durable properties.

[0008] To this end, a first object of the invention relates to a method for functionalizing a textile by a plasma reactor arranged to generate a plasma within a chamber in response to electrical power dissipated by an electrical conductor that partially encircles said chamber so that said textile exhibits hydrophobic properties, said method comprising: - a first step consisting of positioning said textile within the plasma reactor; - a second step consisting of placing said plasma reactor under vacuum and injecting a gaseous reagent in the form of an organosilicon precursor into said plasma reactor, near the surface of said textile; - a third step consisting of bringing the electrical power of said reactor to an electrical activation power so as to generate a plasma in said plasma reactor from said organosilicon gaseous reagent, at a pressure and for a duration, respectively named "working pressure" and "activation time", said electrical activation power, said working pressure and said activation time being chosen so as to cause the formation of an adherent hydrophobic polymer coating on the surface of said textile; - a fourth step consisting of: i. vary the electrical power of said reactor between the electrical activation power and a non-zero electrical working power distinct from said electrical activation power; ii. and expose said textile to plasma according to said electrical working power for a working time; said electrical working power and said working time being chosen so as to cause the formation of crosslinking gradients in the thickness of said hydrophobic polymer coating.

[0009] Advantageously, said textile is a woven polyester filament.

[0010] Preferably, the organosilicon gaseous reagent is derived from a set of organosilicon gaseous reagents comprising hexamethyldisiloxane, tetramethylsilane and trimethylmethoxysilane.

[0011] Advantageously, said plasma reactor is a low-pressure plasma reactor equipped with a 13.56 MHz radio frequency generator.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the plasma reactor is composed of an assembly consisting of said chamber, having an upper part and a lower part, the upper part of said chamber being encircled by said electrical conductor in the form of a copper wire coupled to said generator, said assembly being enclosed in a Faraday cage.

[0013] According to said preferred embodiment, the textile to be functionalized is advantageously positioned on a support at the lower part of said chamber.

[0014] In addition, said process may include a step prior to said first step consisting of a pre-treatment step of said textile to be functionalized by the plasma reactor aimed at carrying out a surface preparation treatment of said textile by plasma with a gaseous mixture of oxygen and argon injected into said plasma reactor.

[0015] In addition, said process may include a step prior to said second step consisting of a step of vacuuming said plasma reactor to a pressure between 102 and 104 mbar.

[0016] In addition, said process may include, at the end of the fourth step, steps consisting of: - a step of deactivating the surface of said functionalized textile consisting of generating a flow of said gaseous reagent in said reactor at zero electrical power of said reactor; - a step of evacuating said plasma reactor to a pressure between 102 and 104 mbar; - a step of restoring said plasma reactor to atmospheric pressure.

[0017] Finally, a second object of the invention relates to a textile for surgical clothing functionalized by the implementation of said process. Brief description of the drawings

[0018] The invention will be better understood and other features and advantages thereof will become apparent from the following description of particular embodiments of the invention, given by way of illustrative and non-limiting examples, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, among which: - [Fig.1] shows a preferred example of a plasma reactor enabling the implementation of said process according to the invention; - [Fig.2] shows a preferred example of a method according to the invention; - [Fig.3] and [Fig.4] show illustrative examples of obtaining a polymer coating exhibiting crosslinking gradients according to different implementations of said process according to the invention. Description of the implementation methods

[0019] As a preliminary point, just as water can exist in the respective forms of ice, liquid, and vapor, matter possesses a fourth state called plasma, a state of matter composed, among other things, of ions, free radicals, and electrons. Plasma polymerization of a material refers to the use of this plasma To modify the surface of said material, in this case a plasma created by an electrical discharge initiates several chemical reactions that lead to the formation of a thin film (or "coating" in Anglo-Saxon terminology) on said surface. This process notably modifies the surface energy, thus changing the wettability of the functionalized material.

[0020] In this respect, a method of functionalizing a textile T according to the invention consists of modifying the surface chemistry of the textile T by the production of different chemical groups on the surface of said textile T leading to the formation of a thin layer on the surface of the textile T exposed to the plasma.

[0021] As illustrated in [Fig. 1], such a process preferentially uses a low-pressure plasma reactor 10, in this case, in particular, a closed chamber 11 not subject to variations in the surrounding atmosphere, allowing for precise control of the functionalization of the surface of the textile T and promoting its reproducibility. Low-pressure plasma treatment has the major advantage of being precise and uniform. Under low pressure, the mean free path of the plasma-forming species is greater, the plasma is more stable, and depending on its Debye length (the physical dimension of the plasma), the low-pressure plasma can effectively penetrate even very small surface features. Furthermore, the use of a cold plasma allows for the treatment of a wide variety of materials, including heat-sensitive materials widely used in the textile industry.

[0022] The low-pressure plasma reactor used is equipped with a G generator, advantageously radio frequency, having an excitation frequency between 1 and 500 megahertz (MHz) with an industry standard of 13.56 MHz. However, a microwave power supply, having an excitation frequency between 0.5 and 10 gigahertz (GHz) with an industry standard of 2.45 GHz, could also be considered within the scope of the invention.

[0023] Such a reactor 10 operates in a closed circuit and is arranged to generate a plasma within its chamber 11 in response to electrical power dissipated by an electrical conductor 12 encircling said chamber 11, at least partially. Such a reactor may further include pressurization elements, such as a pumping system 16, for example one or more vacuum pumps. In this respect, in connection with the illustrative example given in [Fig. 1], said reactor 10 advantageously comprises a glass chamber 11 having an upper part around which is wound a wire 12 of electrically conductive material (consisting of the aforementioned electrical conductor 12), preferably copper, in the form of turns, and a lower part not encircled by said wire 12, said conductor 12 being coupled to said generator G.The minimum power of reactor 10 is dependent on the diameter of the conducting wire 12, preferably between zero point five. and eight millimeters, and the number of turns depends on the volume of the reactor 10. A winding of the copper wire 12 with five turns for a copper wire diameter of four millimeters appears to be a particularly optimized configuration for obtaining sufficient electrical energy. The assembly, comprising the chamber 11 partially surrounded by the conducting wire 12, coupled to said generator G, is contained within a Faraday cage 13, in this case a metallic enclosure which can take the form, for example, of a metal mesh.

[0024] For illustrative but not limiting purposes, such a process according to the invention is advantageously described hereafter and implemented to functionalize a woven polyester filament, forming a textile commonly used in the medical field for making surgical garments, in particular. Such a textile T has a specific pattern and is composed of a filament with a certain intrinsic surface roughness that promotes hydrophobicity, each surface possessing an energy that influences how it interacts with other substances. Indeed, the particular weave of this textile T, in this case the rhythm between weft and warp threads, gives it a specific morphology that can promote or even enhance hydrophobic properties, which is of great interest in the present invention.

[0025] A preferred example of a method 100 for functionalizing a textile T according to the invention is shown in [Fig. 2]. Such a method 100 comprises a first step 110 consisting of positioning said textile T within the plasma reactor 10. To do this, said textile T is preferably positioned on a glass plate 14, glass having very good chemical inertness. Furthermore, in order to have better control of the electrical energy, it is preferable that the textile T be inserted and positioned in the lower part of said chamber 11, as shown in [Fig. 1], or in any other part of the chamber 11 not encircled by said wire 12. Thus, said textile T to be functionalized is located outside but near the plasma discharge, which induces a gentler energy at the surface of said textile T, thereby promoting fine and precise control of the treatment of said textile T.

[0026] Once the textile T to be functionalized is positioned in the reactor 10, a second step 120 of the process consists of evacuating the chamber 11, via the pumping system 16, to create a controlled environment, and injecting, via an injection inlet 15 connected to the chamber 11, the injection inlet 15 being associated with a valve or solenoid valve, a gaseous reagent R, in this case an organosilicon precursor, into the plasma reactor 10, near the surface of the textile T. The injection of the gaseous reagent R can be controlled by a simple valve or solenoid valve. Organosilicon precursors offer a relevant alternative to fluorinated compounds, which are currently subject to European environmental regulations. Advantageously, such an organosilicon gaseous reagent R is hexamethyldisiloxane, known by the acronym HMDSO, which exhibits suitable vapor pressure, low toxicity, good commercial availability, and a high growth rate. However, the invention is not limited to this reagent, and any other organosilicon gaseous reagent R could be used, such as, for example, tetramethylsilane or trimethylmethoxysilane.

[0027] In addition, said process 100 may further comprise steps 101 and 102 prior to said second step 120. Step 101 consists of a pre-treatment step of said textile T to be functionalized in the plasma reactor 10, in this case carrying out a surface preparation treatment by plasma of said textile T. Such a preparation treatment consists of placing the chamber 11 under vacuum via the pumping system 16, injecting into said plasma reactor 10 a gas such as oxygen or argon or even a gaseous mixture of oxygen and argon Ar-0 via said injection inlet 15 and applying an electric field to this gaseous mixture via the generator G so that the surface of said textile T is activated and prepared for plasma functionalization.Step 102 consists of a vacuuming step, via the pumping system 16, of said plasma reactor 10 to a pressure Pv between 102 and 10⁴ millibars (mbar), preferably 10³ mbar, in order to remove as much residual gas (air, humidity) as possible, and in particular to minimize the concentration of water molecules adsorbed on the walls of chamber 11: at a pressure of 10¹ mbar, there could still be too much residual air. Such steps 101 and 102 are optional and can be carried out separately and in any order as long as they are carried out between the first 110 and second 120 steps of said process 100 according to the invention.

[0028] A third step 130 of said process 100 consists of generating a plasma in said reactor 10 from said reagent R previously injected into said reactor 10. To do this, a prior adjustment of two parameters inherent to the plasma reactor 10 is necessary, in this case the pressure and the electrical power of said plasma reactor 10. In the present, the electrical power of the reactor 10 is commonly referred to as said electrical power dissipated by the electrical conductor 12 encircling said chamber 11 and coupled to said generator G.

[0029] Regarding the pressure, it must be set, via the pumping system 16, within the plasma reactor 10, to a pressure called the "working pressure" PT, which is dependent on the selected reagent R. Indeed, the pressure PT must be below the saturated vapor pressure of said reagent R in order to allow its evaporation. By way of illustration, but not limitation, in the case of a reagent R of the chemical nature HMDSO, The working pressure PT can advantageously be between 0.1 and 0.3 mbar, preferably 0.2 mbar.

[0030] Regarding the electrical power of said reactor 10, this is set to an electrical power called the "activation electrical power" (PEA), which is also dependent on the selected reagent R. This electrical power of said reactor 10 can be regulated by said generator G and / or by the impedance of said reactor 10. Said generator G can be controlled, manually or by digital controls, so that the electrical power of said reactor 10 is equal to the predefined activation electrical power (PEA).Indeed, the electrical activation power PEa must both initiate the discharge in the plasma reactor 10 (the voltage required to ignite the first arc in the plasma reactor 10) and ensure sufficient adhesion to the surface of the textile T by generating a high free radical density (the higher the electrical activation power PEA, the greater the ion bombardment on the surface of the textile T, and the higher the free radical density on the surface of the textile T). Therefore, once the discharge is created in the reactor 10, collisions occur between charged particles and neutral molecules of the gaseous reactant R, leading to chain splitting (also known as bond breaking) of the reactant R. This generates ions, free radicals, and neutral molecules in the gaseous phase of the reactant R, as well as on the surface of the textile T.A reaction then occurs between the initial free radicals on the surface of the textile T and those of the reactive precursor R, resulting in the formation of a hydrophobic coating with cohesive properties on the surface of the textile T. It is therefore preferable to have a sufficient density of free radicals on the surface of the textile T to ensure good adhesion of the coating to the surface (avoiding any risk of delamination). As mentioned above, the free radical density is dependent on the electrical activation power (EAP). For illustrative purposes, but not as a limitation, in the case of a gaseous reagent R of HMDSO chemical nature and a textile T corresponding to a woven polyester filament, the EAP activation power is preferably fifty watts.Such a step 130 is advantageously carried out with a continuous plasma but it would be quite possible to draw the plasma (pulsed mode), in this case modulate in short pulses ("on" and "off" according to Anglo-Saxon terminology) the electrical power of said reactor 10.

[0031] Furthermore, the thickness of such a coating, and consequently the homogeneity, continuity and adhesion of said coating, varies according to an activation time Ta, corresponding to the duration during which the textile T to be functionalized is exposed to the plasma at the working pressure PT and the electrical activation power PEA. The activation time (TA) must be long enough to initiate coating formation and ensure that the coating is homogeneous and continuous across the entire surface of the textile (T), but not too long, as this could result in an excessively thick and fragile coating (creating a "layered" effect). This activation time (TA) is dependent on the chosen gaseous reagent (R) due to the polymerization kinetics. For illustrative purposes, but not as a limitation, in the case of a gaseous reagent (R) of HMDSO chemical composition, a textile (T) corresponding to a polyester filament, and an activation power (PEa) of fifty watts, an optimal activation time (TA) is approximately fifty minutes.

[0032] Thus, this third step 130 of said process 100, consisting of generating a plasma within said plasma reactor 10 from said gaseous reagent R, is carried out at a working pressure PT, an electrical activation power PEA and an activation time TA chosen so as to cause the formation of a hydrophobic polymer coating adhering to the surface of said textile T: it is indeed the combination of these three parameters, each dependent on the chemical nature of the selected gaseous reagent R, that makes it possible to obtain a first hydrophobic polymer layer adhering to the surface of said textile T to be functionalized.

[0033] Once the hydrophobic polymer coating has been applied to the surface of said textile T, a fourth step 140 of said process 100 is carried out. This fourth step 140 consists of varying the electrical power of said plasma reactor 10 to a non-zero electrical power. Thus, the electrical power of said reactor 10 varies between the activation electrical power PEA and a non-zero working electrical power PEt, distinct from said activation electrical power PEA. Once the electrical power of said plasma reactor 10 is equal to the working electrical power PET, the textile T is exposed to said plasma at the working electrical power PET for a working time Tt.Exposing textile T to such a non-zero change in electrical power, resulting in a variation of the plasma over a working time Tt, creates a gradient of properties within the thickness of the hydrophobic coating adhering to the surface of textile T. As such, textile T has a hydrophobic polymer coating which, within its thickness—advantageously estimated in the context of the invention to be between five and two hundred nanometers—exhibits different crosslinking gradients (variation in the degree of crosslinking, in this case, the recombination of polymer chains) and, consequently, different chemical composition gradients (differences in chemical composition resulting directly from the variation in the degree of crosslinking of each gradient). This allows the hydrophobic polymer coating to remain adherent over time. In other words, it provides a robust interphase, in this case, a continuum of adhesion properties. and hydrophobicity, is then obtained in contrast to a fragile interface, in this case a separation surface between two distinct phases. By way of illustration, [Fig. 3] presents an example illustrating this surface functionalization by crosslinking gradients obtained for a decreasing linear variation of the electrical power of said reactor 10 (corresponding to the mention "PR" on the ordinate axis of the curve illustrated on the left of said [Fig. 3]) as a function of time (corresponding to the mention "T" on the abscissa axis of the curve illustrated on the left of said [Fig. 3]), allowing the obtaining of a hydrophobic and durable adherent polymer coating on the surface of said textile T. The thickness EP of said polymer coating is shown on the right of said [Fig. 3].3] with the different crosslinking gradients represented by the different shades of grey: the light areas illustrating the presence of long linear chains linked together, reflecting a very low crosslinking coating promoting the hydrophobic character of said coating (low fragmentation of the gaseous reagent R resulting in a conservation of its chemical functions and consequently of its hydrophobic properties) and the dark areas illustrating the presence of many polymer chains highly crosslinked together, reflecting an adherent and highly crosslinked coating (high fragmentation of the gaseous reagent R leading to recombination of very short polymer chains and consequently to a decrease in the hydrophobic character).For illustrative but not limiting purposes, in the case of a gaseous reagent R of chemical nature HMDSO, of a textile T corresponding to a polyester filament, for an activation power PEA of fifty watts and an activation time TA of fifty minutes, the optimal electrical working power PET would be ten watts for a working time Tt advantageously of thirty minutes.

[0034] It could very well be envisaged that the electrical power of said reactor 10 evolves or even varies in steps over determined time ranges defining the working time Tt, as illustrated purely by way of example in [Fig. 4]. Thus, by way of illustration but not limitation, if we take the aforementioned example, namely a gaseous reagent R of chemical nature HMDSO, a textile T corresponding to a polyester filament, an activation power PEA of fifty watts and a working time Tt of thirty minutes, the electrical working power PET could, for example, exhibit a first step at thirty-five watts for ten minutes, a second step at twenty watts for ten minutes and a third step at ten watts for the remaining ten minutes.Thus, the invention is not limited to the form taken by the variation of the PET power during the working time Tt: it must be kept in mind that what is important is that the electrical working power PET is non-zero and distinct from the electrical activation power PEA. The curve of . The variation of the electrical power PR of said reactor 10 over time, and consequently the structure of the adhered hydrophobic coating, can thus be adapted according to the pattern of said textile T to be functionalized, and / or according to the roughness of the fiber / filament of the textile T to be functionalized, and / or according to the selected gaseous reagent R, and / or according to the expected hydrophobic and / or durability properties. It is therefore possible to arrange this electrical power variation curve PR according to the input elements (nature and surface properties of the textile T, nature of the gaseous reagent R) and according to the intended final application.

[0035] As mentioned in the context of step 130, such a step 140 is advantageously carried out with a continuous plasma but it would be quite possible to draw the plasma (pulsed mode), in this case modulate in short pulses (“on” and “off” according to Anglo-Saxon terminology) the electrical power of said reactor 10.

[0036] In addition, and still with a view to optimization and obtaining the most sterile functionalized textile T possible, at the end of the fourth step 140, said process 100 according to the invention may further comprise three optional steps 103, 104 and 105 consisting of: - a step 103 of deactivation of the surface of said functionalized textile T consisting of generating a flow of said gaseous reagent R in said reactor 10 at zero electrical power, so that the remaining free radicals of the plasma polymer coating can react with the remaining free radicals of the gaseous precursor R; - a step 104 of vacuuming said plasma reactor 10 to a pressure Pv between 102 and 104 mbar; - and a step 105 of restoring atmospheric pressure PAt of said plasma reactor 10. The step 103 of deactivation of the surface of said textile T is independent of the steps 104 of vacuuming and 105 of restoring atmospheric pressure of said reactor 10.

[0037] Another object of the present invention relates to a textile T for surgical clothing functionalized by the implementation of said process 100 according to the invention.

[0038] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that this disclosure is not limited to what is particularly shown and described above. Other modifications may be envisaged without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the annexed claims. In this instance, throughout the present invention, the functionalization process described is preferably implemented by a low-pressure plasma reactor, but such a functionalization process could be implemented by an atmospheric plasma device, provided that the aforementioned values ​​are adapted.

Claims

Demands

1. A method (100) for functionalizing a textile (T) by a plasma reactor (10) arranged to generate a plasma within a chamber (11) in response to electrical power dissipated by an electrical conductor (12) which partially encircles said chamber (11), so that said textile (T) exhibits hydrophobic properties, said method (100) comprising: - a first step (110) consisting of positioning said textile (T) within the plasma reactor (10); - a second step (120) consisting of placing said plasma reactor (10) under vacuum and injecting a gaseous reagent (R) in the form of an organosilicon precursor into said plasma reactor (10), near the surface of said textile (T);- a third step (130) consisting of bringing the electrical power of said reactor (10) to an electrical activation power (PEa) so as to generate a plasma in said plasma reactor (10) from said organosilicon gaseous reagent (R), at a pressure (PT), and for a duration (TA), respectively named "working pressure" (PT), and "activation time" (TA), said electrical activation power (PEA), said working pressure (PT), and said activation time (TA) being chosen so as to cause the formation of an adherent hydrophobic polymer coating on the surface of said textile (T); - a fourth step (140) consisting of: i. varying the electrical power of said reactor (10) between said electrical activation power (PEA) and a working electrical power (PET) distinct from said electrical activation power (PEa) and non-zero;ii. and expose said textile (T) to plasma according to said electrical working power (PET) for a working time (Tt); said electrical working power (PET) and said working time (Tt) being chosen so as to cause the formation of crosslinking gradients in the thickness of said hydrophobic polymer coating.;

2. A method (100) for functionalizing a textile (T) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the textile (T) is a woven polyester filament.

3. A method (100) for functionalizing a textile (T) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the organosilicon gaseous reagent (R) is derived from a set of organosilicon gaseous reagents comprising hexamethyldisiloxane, tetramethylsilane and trimethylmethoxysilane.

4. A method (100) for functionalizing a textile (T) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said plasma reactor (10) is a low-pressure plasma reactor (10) equipped with a 13.56 MHz radio frequency generator (G).

5. A method (100) for functionalizing a textile (T) according to the preceding claim, wherein the plasma reactor (10) is composed of an assembly consisting of said chamber (11), having an upper part and a lower part, the upper part of said chamber (11) being encircled by said electrical conductor in the form of a copper wire (12) coupled to said generator (G), said assembly being enclosed in a Faraday cage (13).

6. Method (100) of functionalizing a textile (T) according to the preceding claim, wherein the textile (T) to be functionalized is positioned on a support (14) at the lower part of said chamber (11).

7. A method (100) for functionalizing a textile (T) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a step (101) prior to said first step (110) consisting of a pre-treatment step of said textile (T) to be functionalized by the plasma reactor (10) aimed at carrying out a surface preparation treatment of said textile (T) by plasma with a gaseous mixture of oxygen and argon (Ar-O) injected into said plasma reactor (10).

8. A method (100) for functionalizing a textile (T) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a step (102) prior to said second step (120) consisting of a step of vacuuming said plasma reactor (10) at a pressure (Pv) between 102 and 104 mbar.

9. A method (100) for functionalizing a textile (T) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising, at the end of the fourth step (140), steps consisting of: - a step (103) for deactivating the surface of said functionalized textile (T) consisting of generating a flow of said gaseous reagent (R)

10. in said reactor (10) at an electrical power of said reactor (10) of zero; - a step (104) of vacuuming said plasma reactor (10) to a pressure (Pv) between 102 and 104 mbar; - a step (105) of restoring said plasma reactor (10) to atmospheric pressure (Pat). Textile (T) for surgical clothing functionalized by the implementation of said process (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.