gives a brief historical description of the evolution of the uses of plasma during the last 20 years and describes briefly different types of plasma. the author presents the problems that occur for the chemical reactions under plasma conditions, e.g mixing of the reactants, quenching. the surface treatments in plasma are then treated' carburizing and nitriding, reactions with polymers, plasma etching, deposition and growth of organic and inorganic films, surface treatment by cathodic pulverization and ion plating. actual industrial uses include spheroidization, remelting (batch or ingot melting), production of ultradispersed powders, spraying of various materials, electronic circuits, surface treatment of organic and of inorganic substances. processes that are potentially usable in industry include acetylene, nitric oxide and ferroalloys production, solar grade silicon production, complex ores processing, spraying, surface treatments, treatments on natural materials, optical fibers manufacture, selective synthesis