Viscous mechano-electric response of ferroelectric nematic liquid

Direct viscous mechano-electric response is demonstrated for a room-temperature ferroelectric nematic liquid, which combines large spontaneous electric polarization with 3D fluidity. The mechano-electric transduction is observed in the frequency range 1−200 Hz via a simple demonstrator device. The liquid is placed into a deformable container with electrodes and the electric current induced by both periodic and irregular actuation of the container is examined. The experiments reveal a rich interplay of several distinct viscous mechano-electric phenomena, where both shape deformations and material flow cause changes in the electric polarization structure of a ferroelectric nematic liquid. The results show that the mechano-electric features of the material promise a considerable applicative perspective spanning from sensitive tactile sensors to energy harvesting devices.