A freestanding/flexible hybrid mat consisting of crystalline ZnO nanofibers (similar to 75wt. %) and amorphous SiO2 nanofibers (similar to 25wt. %) was prepared by the technique of electrospinning followed by the pyrolysis in air at 650 degrees C. The electrospun ZnO/SiO2 hybrid mat was then studied to fabricate a flexible ultraviolet (UV) sensor, and the photo-response of this sensor was characterized under varied UV light intensities; additionally, the sensor performance under the bending condition was also evaluated. The results indicated that the flexible UV sensor had excellent sensitivity and reproducibility/reversibility, and it also exhibited high performance under the bending condition. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.