Scientists Jixiang Jing, Bicong Wang, and Zhiqin Chu published a study in the journal Science Advances demonstrating that flexible diamond membranes can generate electricity through mechanical deformation. ^[1] Researchers at the University of Hong Kong discovered that ultra-thin diamond membranes can generate electrical voltage when flexed, challenging the century-old assumption that diamonds cannot produce a piezoelectric response. ^[2] The research team discovered that polycrystalline diamond membranes approximately 5 micrometers thick exhibit optimal piezoelectric performance, surpassing several traditional piezoelectric materials. ^[3] The researchers stated that this discovery challenges the scientific consensus held for over a century that diamonds are non-piezoelectric materials due to their highly symmetrical internal structure. ^[4] The study reveals that grain boundaries in polycrystalline diamond membranes break molecular symmetry during deformation, inducing local asymmetry that generates electrical polarization. ^[5] Professors Zhiqin Chu of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Yuan Lin of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Hong Kong led the study. ^[6] The team fabricated extremely thin polycrystalline diamond membranes using an edge exfoliation technique to reduce thickness and increase flexibility. ^[7] When subjected to controlled flexions, the diamond membranes produced stable and repeatable voltage signals. ^[8]