Scientists discover first-ever piezoelectric liquid.

Researchers from Michigan State University have discovered a liquid with piezoelectric characteristics, which could be used to create electrically controlled optics or even a new field of piezo-hydraulics. The liquid was discovered when working with a pair of ionic liquid salts that hold their liquid state at room temperature. Prior to this discovery, it was believed that piezoelectric materials were only crystalline and lacked inversion symmetry. The discovery will likely require some modification of current solid-state piezoelectric theory and the liquids are more environmentally friendly than solid-state piezoelectric materials.