Orb-Web-Inspired Polymer-Carbon Nanocomposite Mesh Film for Acoustic Sensing

Thin films are ideal building blocks for hyperacute sensors and flexible electronic devices. However, most thin films either lack strength for practical applications or are not compatible with mass-production processes. Here, we reported an orb-web-inspired polymer-carbon nanocomposite-based, strong, lightweight, flexible mesh-type film that was compatible with standard microfabrication and suitable for high-performance acoustic sensing. Taking advantage of the superior mechanical strength of the three-dimensional (3D) heterogeneous nanocomposites constructed by one-dimensional (1D), two-dimensional (2D) carbon-based nanoparticles and polymer matrixes, we fabricated a 564-nm-thick mesh-type film that could be suspended freely both in liquid and air, and folded and stretched repeatedly over a macroscale opening. The sensing application of the mesh-type nanocomposite film was further demonstrated, which could even detect weak airborne sound waves with high fidelity, large dynamic range (>115 dB), and fine frequency resolution (<0.05 Hz) over the audible range. This work provides an approach to manufacturing designable, thin film-based flexible devices across scales with superior performance.