Researchers from RMIT University and the University of Melbourne have discovered that water generates an electrical charge up to 10 times greater than previously understood when it moves across a surface.

The team, led by Dr. Joe Berry, Dr. Peter Sherrell and Professor Amanda Ellis observed that when a water droplet became stuck on a tiny bump or rough spot, the force built up until it “jumped or slipped” past an obstacle, creating an irreversible charge that had not been reported before.

The new understanding of this “stick-slip” motion of water over a surface paves the way for surface design with controlled electrification, with potential applications ranging from improving safety in fuel-holding systems to boosting energy storage and charging rates.