Scientists create 'world's darkest material' Improves Optical Imaging in Telescopes
Scientists create 'world's darkest material': Vantablack
The Dark Side has some catching up to do. A new nanotech
material claims the crown for being the darkest material ever created.
by Amanda Kooser
@akooser July 14,
2014 9:15 AM PDT
Black is an important color. It helps Batman disappear
against the night. It keeps Goth kids looking stylish. It's the cover look for
Spinal Tap's infamous "Smell the Glove" album. Just when you thought
black couldn't get any darker, scientists from Surrey Nanosystems in the UK
have announced the creation of a super black material.
The breakthrough isn't geared toward fashion, however. It
was developed for use in electro-optical imaging and target-acquisition systems
in order to improve those devices' sensitivity. One example of a use for the
material is in telescopes to increase the instruments' ability to see very
faint stars.
Called Vantablack, Surrey says the new material "is
revolutionary in its ability to be applied to lightweight,
temperature-sensitive structures such as aluminium whilst absorbing 99.96
percent of incident radiation, believed to be the highest-ever recorded."
Vantablack is created through a low-temperature carbon
nanotube growth process. It took two years of development and testing to
achieve success in applying the material onto aluminum structures and
pyroelectric sensors, readying it for use in actual imaging systems. It can be
used to coat components like optical sensors, baffles, and apertures.
"We are now scaling up production to meet the
requirements of our first customers in the defense and space sectors, and have
already delivered our first orders," said Ben Jensen, Surrey Nanosystems'
chief technology officer. As it turns out, Vantablack is the new black.
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