DW: Does this mean I can jump my car with a tall, cool, glass of soda? Mmmmm, soda car...
Scientists have discovered that ice can generate electricity when bent or unevenly deformed, revealing it to be a "flexoelectric" material. This groundbreaking research, published in Nature Physics, was conducted by teams from institutions in Spain, China, and New York. The discovery places ice alongside advanced materials like titanium dioxide, which are used in sensors and capacitors.
The research revealed two ways ice can generate electricity. At very low temperatures below -113°C, ice develops a thin "ferroelectric" layer at its surface that can create natural electric polarization. At higher temperatures up to freezing point, ice exhibits flexoelectricity when subjected to mechanical stress or irregular bending. The ferroelectric property is particularly interesting because it can be reversed when an external electric field is applied, similar to flipping magnetic poles.
Source: Phys.org