Recently, a research team led by Professor Cheng Qunfeng from the National Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Interface Materials Science at the Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), in collaboration with another team spearheaded by Researcher Li Mingzhu from the Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has made a significant leap forward in the realm of biomimetic confined assembly and acoustic transducer applications.

Through their study, the researchers discovered that the exceptional mechanical properties of the cicada rib membrane stem from its unique structure, which features an alternating arrangement of soft elastin layers and hard chitin layers. Drawing inspiration from this natural design, the research team adopted a strategy that combined alternating deposition interface crosslinking with nanoconfined crystallization. This innovative approach enabled them to successfully fabricate a fully organic composite film boasting a biomimetic soft-hard alternating structure.

This newly developed film showcases remarkable characteristics, including high tensile strength, exceptional toughness, and outstanding fatigue resistance. Moreover, its fundamental resonance frequency and amplitude outperform those of currently available commercial films. The team's related research findings were published in the prestigious international journal Science Advances on September 10.