Overview

• Experiments published in Nature Materials show saline ice produces far stronger flexoelectric signals than pure ice when mechanically bent.
• Thin liquid brine within polycrystalline ice flows under pressure during bending, creating a streaming current that boosts voltage output.
• Tests found performance peaking near 25% salt by weight, with small cone-shaped samples yielding about 1 millivolt each and arrays reaching roughly 2 volts.
• Cone geometries outperformed curved beams in both durability and voltage, as quantified in repeated three-point bending tests.
• Researchers report low power density and durability issues, including significant fatigue and heat losses, suggesting near-term use in sensors rather than general energy supply, with possible but unconfirmed implications for atmospheric and planetary electricity.