Xin Wen

Scientists just discovered that twisting ice literally creates energy. Ice may look cold and quiet—but under pressure, it comes alive electrically. A new study in Nature Physics reveals that when ice is bent, twisted, or stretched, it generates an electric charge through a process called flexoelectricity. Unlike piezoelectricity, which requires special crystal structures, flexoelectricity occurs in all insulators—meaning even ordinary ice can do it. Researchers from Spain, China, and the U.S. found that ice’s electrical behavior not only responds to mechanical stress but also changes with temperature in unexpected ways. At ultra-cold conditions, they observed the formation of a ferroelectric surface layer, capable of flipping its polarity like a magnet. This discovery reshapes our understanding of ice, which has long been considered a passive material. “This paper changes how we view ice,” said lead author Xin Wen, “from a passive material to an active one.” Beyond deepening our knowledge of natural phenomena—like how lightning charges form in storm clouds—it opens up the possibility of ice-based electronics in extreme environments. From flexible sensors to energy-harvesting materials, this once-humble substance might soon play a surprising role in future technologies. Source: Wen, X., et al. (2025). Flexoelectricity and surface ferroelectricity in ice. Nature Physics.

Scientists just discovered that twisting ice literally creates energy. Though ice appears inert and non-conductive, a recent breakthrough reveals it harbors surprising electromechanical properties. Published in Nature Physics, an international collaboration involving researchers from Spain (ICN2), China (Xi'an Jiaotong University), and the United States (Stony Brook University) has experimentally confirmed that ordinary hexagonal ice (Ih) exhibits flexoelectricity—generating an electric charge when subjected to uneven mechanical stress, such as bending, twisting, or stretching. Unlike piezoelectricity, which depends on specific non-centrosymmetric crystal structures and produces charge under uniform pressure, flexoelectricity arises from strain gradients and can occur in any dielectric material, including ice. The measured flexoelectric coefficient is comparable to that of common ceramics like TiO₂ or SrTiO₃. Additionally, at temperatures below approximately 160 K (-113°C), the experiments uncovered a thin ferroelectric "skin layer" on the ice surface, where spontaneous polarization emerges and can be reversed by an applied electric field—akin to flipping magnetic poles. Lead researcher Dr. Xin Wen noted that this dual capability means ice can generate electricity in two ways: through flexoelectricity across a wide temperature range up to 0°C, and via surface ferroelectricity in ultra-cold conditions. These findings challenge the traditional view of ice as electrically passive and may explain charge separation in thunderstorm ice-graupel collisions, contributing to lightning formation. Looking ahead, the properties could enable low-cost, in-situ transducers, flexible sensors, or energy harvesters in polar or extraterrestrial environments. [Wen, X. et al., "Flexoelectricity and surface ferroelectricity of water ice", Nature Physics (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-02995-6]

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