The piezoelectric effect was usually observed in crystals and certain ceramics for a long time. However, the applications are limited as these are rather heavy and solid materials. Researchers from Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology have now proved that these properties can also exist in elastic materials and have developed a thin new material that can now turn stress into electricity.

The piezoelectric effect refers to the ability of certain materials to generate an electric charge in response to applied mechanical stress. This effect is most famously seen in analog record players, which play music with a needle, producing mechanical vibrations those are converted into electrical impulses and generate sound waves. The new material is made of polar nanoparticles and a silicone elastomer, which is thin and flexible, and able to generate electricity by converting the mechanical movements of stretching and compression into energy. A strong electric field is introduced into this material and it is then exposed to extremely hot, then cool, temperatures.

The new flexible material combines the uniqueness of the piezoelectric effect and the thin and pliable properties of rubber. Researchers believe that, it could be useful in every facet of life from clothing and wearable electronics to medical technologies.