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• Polystyrene/montmorillonite composite films were prepared via solution cast technique. • Plasma treatment of the produced films was carried out in low-pressure air plasma. • The water contact angle on the composite surface decreased after plasma treatment. • Plasma treatment of the composite led to an increase in MB adsorption efficiency. Polystyrene/montmorillonite (PS/MMT) composite films with high adsorption activity were prepared via solution intercalation technique followed by treatment of composite films in low-pressure air plasma. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to investigate the impact of plasma on the elemental composition and morphology of the composite surface. It was revealed that plasma treatment of the PS/MMT composite led to an increase in wettability and adsorption performance. The removal kinetics of methylene blue dye from aqueous solutions was experimentally studied. It was determined that plasma processing of the composite resulted in a significant improvement of the MB adsorption process: the initial rate of the process increased by 4 times (from 1.2 × 10−8 to 4.8 × 10−8 mol/(g•min)). Adsorption kinetic curves are obeyed the pseudo-second order reaction equation. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]