© Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
A new study led by the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) has revealed that ice generates electricity when bent.
Ice is one of the most common substances on Earth. It covers glaciers, mountains, and polar regions. Although it may seem simple, scientists continue to discover surprising features hidden in frozen water.
An international team from ICN2 (at UAB), Xi’an Jiaotong University in China, and Stony Brook University in New York has now shown that ordinary ice is a flexoelectric material. This means it can generate electricity when it is bent, stretched, or otherwise mechanically deformed.
The discovery not only opens doors for new kinds of devices but also gives us fresh clues about how lightning may form during storms.
The research, published in Nature Physics, could have big impacts on technology and also help explain natural events like lightning.
source UAB
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