Method of coating onto fabric substrates by means of plasma

A process for producing a fluorinated polymer coating on a fabric substrate, comprising:

• providing the fabric substrate;
• providing a first plasma source, comprising at least one pair of hollow-cathode plasma generating electrodes connected to an AC, DC or pulsed DC generator, for deposition of the fluorinated polymer coating on the fabric substrate, wherein the first plasma source is a linear hollow cathode;
• injecting a first plasma generating gas in the at least one pair of hollow-cathode plasma generating electrodes at a flow rate of between 500 and 2500 sccm per linear meter of plasma of the first plasma source;
• applying a first electrical power to the first plasma source, so that a first power density of the plasma is between 0.5 kW and 15 kW per linear meter of plasma of the first plasma source;
• injecting a fluorinated monomer at a flow rate of between 20 and 1000 sccm per linear meter of plasma of the first plasma source with an inert carrier gas at a flow rate of 0 and 1000 sccm per linear meter of plasma of the first plasma source, wherein the fluorinated monomer is injected into the plasma between the at least one pair of hollow-cathode plasma generating electrodes of the first plasma source;
• and
• depositing the fluorinated polymer coating on a surface of the fabric substrate by exposing the fabric substrate to the plasma of the first plasma source, wherein the fluorinated polymer coating is water repellent.