The present invention provides a method for the separation of a mixture having a first component and a second component, the method comprising the steps of: (a) applying at least two destabilizing energy forms to the mixture to destabilize the mixture, wherein the destabilizing energy forms are chosen from the list comprising: mechanical shear force, thermal energy, and/or surface energy; and (b) applying at least one enriching energy form to the mixture to form a first region that is enriched in a first component relative to the second component and a second region that is enriched in the second component relative to the first component, wherein the enriching energy form is surface energy.