Vantablack: The Darkest Material Ever Made

TL;DR

Vantablack is a material that absorbs almost all light and reflects so little that it appears completely dark, with potential applications in telescopes and space technology.

Transcript

What if you could see the complete absence of light? The darker something looks, the more light it’s absorbing, and the less it’s reflecting back at your eyes. So a black hole, which absorbs all light, is the darkest thing possible. Odds are you’ll never see a black hole in person -- the nearest one is thousands of lightyears away, and there’s that... Read More

Key Insights

• 🙂 Vantablack is a material specifically designed to absorb as much light as possible, making it appear incredibly dark.
• 🙂 It is composed of vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays that trap and absorb photons, reflecting very little light.
• 👾 Vantablack has real-world applications in improving telescope contrast, coating space objects, and potentially enhancing fashion designs.
• 🙂 Compared to other dark materials like black chalkboard or asphalt, Vantablack reflects significantly less light, eliminating surface details.
• 💦 The spray-on form of Vantablack exists but requires precise application and chemical processes for the coating to work properly.
• 🙂 Vantablack outperforms super-black in light absorption and can be grown at a lower temperature, making it more versatile.
• 😒 Vantablack's potential applications extend beyond scientific and space-related uses to include fashion and artistic projects.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does Vantablack absorb light?

Vantablack is composed of vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays (CNTs), which are 10,000 times thinner than a human hair. These nanotubes trap light between them, absorbing nearly all of the photons and turning them into heat.

Q: What are the potential applications of Vantablack?

Vantablack can be used in telescopes to minimize stray light and enhance contrast. It can also serve as a strong and heat-resistant coating for objects sent into space. Additionally, research is being done on using Vantablack in fabrics for artistic and fashion purposes.

Q: How is Vantablack different from super-black?

Both Vantablack and super-black are made of CNTs and absorb a high percentage of light. However, Vantablack absorbs slightly more light than super-black and can be produced at a lower temperature, making it more versatile for various applications.

Q: Can Vantablack be easily applied to surfaces?

Applying Vantablack is a complex process that requires precision and specific temperatures between 100 and 300 degrees. It also currently requires a specialist to achieve the desired results.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Vantablack is a material developed by Surrey NanoSystems that absorbs 99.965% of visible light and appears incredibly dark.

• The newer version, Vantablack 2, absorbs an even higher percentage of light, making it difficult to measure.

• Vantablack has various real-world applications, including improving telescope contrast, coating space-bound objects, and potentially being used in fashion.