Flexible Piezoelectric ZnO-Paper Nanocomposite Strain

he fabrication of a mechanically flexible, piezoelectric nanocompositematerialforstrainsensingapplicationsisreported.Nanocompositematerialconsisting of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures embedded in a stable matrixof paper (cellulose fibers) is prepared by a solvothermal method. Theapplicability of this material as a strain sensor is demonstrated by studyingits real-time current response under both static and dynamic mechanicalloading. The material presented highlights a novel approach to introduceflexibilityintostrainsensorsbyembeddingcrystallinepiezoelectricmaterialin a flexible cellulose-based secondary matrix.1. Introduction