A Spider-Web-Like Highly Expandable Sensor Network for Multifunctional Materials

A multiscale method that allows a non-invasive and precise integration of thousands of nano-or microscale electronic devices into large macroscopic materials or structures of any 3D shape and rigidity is demonstrated. An array of microsensors (for strain and temperature) is built on a spider-web-like, highly expandable and flexible polyimide substrate that is engineered in such a way as to allow unique area dilatations.