Ice That Generates Electricity: A Flexoelectric Discovery with Big Implications

By Quantum Server Networks

Ice is one of Earth’s most familiar materials, yet it continues to reveal surprising secrets. A recent study published in Nature Physics and reported by Phys.org shows that ordinary ice is a flexoelectric material, meaning it can generate electricity when bent or deformed. This discovery not only advances our understanding of frozen water but could also have profound implications for both natural phenomena and future technologies.

Flexoelectric ice generating electricity when bent

Image: Flexoelectricity in ice electrification events. Credit: Nature Physics (2025)

The Discovery: Ice as a Flexoelectric Material

The research, co-led by the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), Xi’an Jiaotong University, and Stony Brook University, demonstrates that ice generates an electric charge when subjected to uneven mechanical stress. Unlike piezoelectric materials, which create charge when compressed, ice responds to bending and irregular deformations.

Researchers also discovered a thin ferroelectric layer at the ice surface at extremely low temperatures (below -113 °C). This dual property means that ice can generate electricity in two distinct ways:

  • Flexoelectricity – active from -113 °C up to the melting point (0 °C).
  • Ferroelectricity – active at very low temperatures, allowing reversible polarization under an electric field.

Link to Lightning and Natural Phenomena

The findings shed light on a long-standing mystery: how ice particles in clouds become electrically charged during thunderstorms. It is known that lightning forms when electric potentials build up due to collisions between ice particles, but the charging mechanism was unclear since ice is not piezoelectric. This study reveals that flexoelectricity in bending ice particles may explain how charges accumulate in storm clouds, ultimately triggering lightning.

Laboratory experiments, where ice slabs were bent between two electrodes, showed electric signals consistent with those measured in thunderstorm ice-particle collisions—suggesting a strong connection between flexoelectricity and natural electrification events.

Technological Potential of Flexoelectric Ice

Beyond its role in nature, the discovery positions ice alongside advanced electroceramic materials like titanium dioxide, which are widely used in sensors and capacitors. This opens intriguing possibilities:

  • Energy harvesting – generating electricity from mechanical motion in frozen environments.
  • Novel sensors – exploiting ice’s flexoelectric response for cryogenic or polar research applications.
  • Climate science – improving our understanding of atmospheric electrification and weather modeling.
  • Cold-environment electronics – designing devices that harness ice itself as an active material.

While still in early stages, the potential applications illustrate how a familiar material like ice can inspire disruptive technological ideas.

A New Chapter in Electromechanics

This work highlights how even the most common materials can surprise us when studied with modern tools. By revealing that ice is both flexoelectric and ferroelectric, scientists have opened new paths for research at the intersection of condensed matter physics, materials science, and atmospheric science.

Source: Phys.org (2025)

This blog article was prepared with the assistance of AI technologies.

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#Flexoelectricity #IcePhysics #MaterialsScience #Electromechanics #Ferroelectricity #LightningResearch #EnergyHarvesting #ClimateScience #QuantumServerNetworks #PWmat

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