Ice makes electricity when bent or stretched, physicists report new discovery

Scientists have found that ice can generate electricity when deformed—a property called flexoelectricity. Bending ice between electrodes produced electricity at all tested temperatures. At extremely cold temperatures, ice also displayed ferroelectricity, with a reversible polarized surface layer. This dual electrical behavior puts ice in the same category as advanced electroceramic materials and may explain electrical charges in thunderstorms. The discovery reveals ice as an active electromechanical material worthy of further study.