Nanoparticle monolayer-based flexible strain gauge with ultrafast dynamic response for acoustic vibration detection

The relatively poor dynamic response of current flexible strain gauges has prevented their wide adoption in portable electronics. In this work, we present a greatly improved flexible strain gauge, where one strip of Au nanoparticle (NP) monolayer assembled on a polyethylene terephthalate film is utilized as the active unit. The proposed flexible gauge is capable of responding to applied stimuli without detectable hysteresis via electron tunneling between adjacent nanoparticles within the Au NP monolayer. Based on experimental quantification of the time and frequency domain dependence of the electrical resistance of the proposed strain gauge, acoustic vibrations in the frequency range of 1 to 20,000 Hz could be reliably detected. In addition to being used to measure musical tone, audible speech, and creature vocalization, as demonstrated in this study, the ultrafast dynamic response of this flexible strain gauge can be used in a wide range of applications, including miniaturized vibratory sensors, safe entrance guard management systems, and ultrasensitive pressure sensors.