Diamond Coatings Could Cut Mineral Scale in Industrial Piping Systems

Lab-grown diamond coatings may offer a long-lasting way for chemical plants, water infrastructure and energy facilities to reduce costly mineral scaling in pipes and equipment. In new research from Rice University, nitrogen-terminated diamond films accumulated more than an order of magnitude less mineral buildup than oxygen-, hydrogen- or fluorine-treated surfaces.

Mineral scaling reduces flow efficiency and increases maintenance, often requiring chemical additives or mechanical cleaning. The study demonstrates that microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition can produce diamond coatings that inherently resist scale without ongoing intervention. Researchers found that nitrogen-terminated surfaces form a tightly bound layer of water molecules that prevents ions from attaching and initiating crystal growth.

The coating also performed well on boron-doped diamond electrodes used in electrochemical systems, collecting about one-seventh the scale while maintaining performance. Microscopy and adhesion testing helped verify the durability and anti-scaling behavior.

The team — led by Pulickel Ajayan, Xiang Zhang and Jun Lou — suggests that vapor-grown polycrystalline diamond films could be applied broadly across industrial desalination and energy systems. The study notes that advances in deposition and surface treatment now make testing of these high-quality films more accessible, opening opportunities for scale-resistant materials research and potential industrial deployment.