Salty ice bends into electricity source with 1,000x stronger charge

Researchers at Xi’an Jiatong University in China have discovered that bending salty ice can generate electricity with a charge up to 1,000 times stronger than pure ice. This phenomenon, known as flexoelectricity, occurs because salt prevents ice from freezing completely, creating microscopic channels of salty water. When the ice is bent, this liquid flows through the channels, producing a streaming current that generates electricity. The team demonstrated this effect using various shapes of saline ice subjected to bending tests, revealing a significant increase in electrical output compared to pure ice. While the discovery opens a promising avenue for sustainable energy—especially in cold regions where traditional power sources are limited—there are challenges to overcome. Saline ice devices suffer from mechanical fatigue, losing up to 80% of their power after repeated bending cycles, and their efficiency is currently lower than commercial piezoelectric materials due to energy lost as heat. Nonetheless, the research suggests potential applications not only on Earth, where ice covers about 10% of the