AbstractThe effect of plasma treatment of porous polyacrylonitrile membranes is discussed. It is shown that air plasma increases the surface polarity at low‐energy treatment and gradually diminishes it when the energy is increased. When the plasma is set at energies of 12, 30 or 60 W, etching of polymers dominates. Pore diameters of the membranes increase and their distribution functions become broader. When plasma of higher energies (120 or 180 W) is used, the effect of changes of the pore distribution disappears. Membranes modified with plasma of 60, 120 or 180 W do not differ in their porous structure. A simple method of an evaluation of pore diameter distribution function is presente