Scale formation has been recognised as a widespread problem in membrane filtration and water desalination processing for water treatment. In this paper, the effect of surface energy of Ni-P-PTFE composite coatings on the microstructure and adhesion of CaSO4 deposits was investigated. The surface energies of the Ni-P-PTFE coatings were altered by changing the PTFE proportion in the coatings. Initial experimental results showed that the surface energy of the coatings had a significant influence on the microstructure and adhesion of CaSO4 deposits. The Ni-P-PTFE coatings have a potential for reducing CaSO4 scale formation on water treatment equipment.