High-performance optical absorber comprising functionalized, non-woven, CNT sheet and texturized polymer film or texturized polymer coating and manufacturing method thereof

A high-performance optical absorber, comprising:

• a texturized base layer, the base layer comprising one or more of a polymer film and a polymer coating;
• and
• a surface layer located above and immediately adjacent to the base layer, the surface layer joined to the base layer, the surface layer comprising a plasma-functionalized, non-woven carbon nanotube (CNT) sheet, wherein the base layer texturization comprises one or more of substantially rectangular ridges, substantially triangular ridges, substantially pyramidal ridges, and truncated, substantially pyramidal ridges, wherein the CNT sheet has a porosity between approximately 40% and approximately 90%.