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In the process of oil extraction, hard mineral buildup inside the pipes and equipment can cause serious operational damage, safety issues such as pipe explosion and significant economic losses. The current methods for descaling mineral buildup, however, can adversely impact the environment.

Their results were published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. The work was also featured on the journal's supplementary cover.

"We aimed to tackle the challenge of calcium carbonate formation, known as scaling, in two-phase oil-water systems, dealt with in numerous water-based industries, such as oil and gas sectors," said corresponding author Amir Sheikhi, associate professor of chemical engineering and the Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Early Career Chair in Biomaterials and Regenerative Engineering.

In many industries, such as oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and food, water co-exists with an immiscible phase—such as an oil or an organic solvent unable to mix with water—making a two-phase system. If this system undergoes scaling, it may cause serious operational and safety hazards, according to Sheikhi, as it blocks pipes and destroys equipment.

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