This article discusses the ‘power-to-X’ (P2X) concept, highlighting the integral role of non-thermal plasma (NTP) in P2X for the eco-friendly production of chemicals and valuable fuels. NTP with unique thermally non-equilibrium characteristics, enables exotic reactions to occur under ambient conditions. This review summarizes the plasma-based P2X systems, including plasma discharges, reactor configurations, catalytic or non-catalytic processes, and modeling techniques. Especially, the potential of NTP to directly convert stable molecules including CO₂, CH₄ and air/N₂ is critically examined. Additionally, we further present and discuss hybrid technologies that integrate NTP with photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, and biocatalysis, broadening its applications in P2X. It concludes by identifying key challenges, such as high energy consumption, and calls for the outlook in plasma catalysis and complex reaction systems to generate valuable products efficiently and sustainably, and achieve the industrial viability of the proposed plasma P2X strategy.

The design of advanced materials with superb anti-bacterial efficiency by engineering appropriate surface properties has now become a consolidated strategy to improve the functional properties of polymers, metals, and a variety of biomedical materials. Antimicrobial coatings can create a healthier living and working environment and offer holistic solutions to people with health problems. This Tutorial will serve as a reference point for scientists pursuing sustainable antimicrobial coatings development, by providing a design framework and a toolbox for enabling plasma-based technologies in additive engineering of new materials. A succinct description of how novel, efficient methods based on non-equilibrium reactive plasma chemistries can be applied to produce sophisticated, high-value advanced coatings with the anti-bacterial or antifungal function will be used to illustrate the utility of plasma methods. Described plasma-based methods can minimize the process steps and dramatically reduce the use of expensive and hazardous reagents, which is a point of high interest in the development of novel sustainable and green manufacturing processes. The Tutorial aims to provide an overview of the principle and state-of-the-art in plasma technology, which is useful for researchers and broad auditoria of students working in antimicrobial materials development and additive engineering.