In a groundbreaking study, researchers from the ICN2, Xi’an Jiaotong University, and Stony Brook University have demonstrated for the first time that ordinary ice can produce an electrical charge when bent or unevenly deformed. This effect is known as flexoelectricity and may explain how electrical potential builds up in thunderclouds, leading to lightning.
The work, published in Nature Physics, also showed that at temperatures below -113 °C, the surface of ice exhibits ferroelectric properties. This means it can naturally become polarized and change its polarity when exposed to an external electric field. Thus, ice is capable of generating electricity in two ways: through ferroelectricity at low temperatures and through flexoelectricity at temperatures up to 0 °C.
“We measured the electrical potential that arises from bending a slab of ice, and the results matched what is observed in thunderclouds,” explained Professor Gustau Catalan, head of the Oxide Nanophysics group at ICN2.
This discovery not only sheds light on natural processes but could also have practical applications in future technologies. Scientists are now exploring the possibility of creating electronic devices that use ice as an active material, which would be particularly useful in cold environments.
The flexoelectricity of ice places it on par with advanced electroceramic materials currently used in sensors, capacitors, and other devices.
