Enhanced flexoelectricity of liquid with hydrated ions

Flexoelectricity, denoted as an electromechanical coupling effect from strain gradient introduced polarization, is prevalent in dielectric materials. However, its application in low-viscosity liquids has been limited by the scale of the flexoelectric coefficient. This study explores the flexoelectric coefficient of various hydrated ion solutions through a series of experiments. Additionally, the interplay between ion adsorption and the flexoelectric effect is investigated by using interfacial voltage detection. By introducing hydrated structures into liquids, a significant enlargement of the flexoelectric coefficient up to 2.3 × 10−9 C m−1 is obtained in Fe2(SO4)3 solution by four times than DI water. These findings highlight the remarkable electromechanical properties of liquid materials with hydrated ions and suggest promising avenues for the application of liquid dielectrics in hydrovoltaic technology, ionotronic devices, and energy harvesters.