Ultrathin Diamond Membranes Exhibit Unexpected Piezoelectric Power
Researchers at the University of Hong Kong have shown that flexible diamond sheets can generate electricity when bent, overturning a century-old belief.
Scientists from the University of Hong Kong fabricated ultrathin, highly flexible polycrystalline diamond membranes using an edge exfoliation technique. Bending these membranes generated stable voltage outputs, a result verified through repeated mechanical cycling to exclude external interference. First-principles calculations indicated that asymmetry at grain boundaries creates charge polarization, producing the observed electrical potential.
This discovery challenges the long-standing classification of diamond as non-piezoelectric and opens possibilities for diamond-based self-powered sensors and implantable medical devices. The researchers envision applications in high-reliability micro-energy systems where durability and safety are critical. The work was published in Science Advances.
Why it matters
It reveals a new way to harvest energy from diamond, enabling robust, biocompatible power sources for medical and sensing technologies.
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