Vantablack - The darkest material in the world

[N3ptune]

I learned about the existence of Vantablack today, it's very impressive.

Wikipedia:

Vantablack is composed of a forest of vertical tubes which are "grown" on a substrate using a modified chemical vapor deposition process (CVD). When light strikes Vantablack, instead of bouncing off, it becomes trapped and is continually deflected among the tubes, eventually becoming absorbed and dissipating into heat.^[1]

Vantablack was an improvement over similar substances developed at the time. Vantablack absorbs 99.965% of visible light.

3d objects covered with Vantablack will appear 2 dimensional to the human eye.

There is even a purpose for telescopes:

Applications
Being the blackest material, this substance has many potential applications, including preventing stray light from entering telescopes...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vantablack

Originally I found the info on this website.. while wandering the www

https://futurism.com/olympics-displays-worlds-darkest-material/

Hope you like it has much has I do

 

[MarsG76]

amazing...

[StuartJPP]

I heard about this when it was released and wish there was an opportunity to see some in the flesh, apparently it is confusing to the brain as it is unnaturally black.

Unfortunately seeing it online is kind of like those TV adverts that show how crisp and colourful a new TV is on your existing TV...

So I still eagerly await an actual viewing, would hopefully be a good experience.

[Geoff Lister]

Let's hope it will be available, soon, in the "paint" section of B&Q, Wicks etc., and at a reasonable price.

[Beulah]

I'll settle at £5 a roll but I imagine we'll have to wait a while for prices to drop...

[Craney]

Have to be careful with this stuff.......

[Pieter]

FYI

https://www.surreynanosystems.com/vantablack/faqs

[domstar]

It's like how much more black can this be? And the answer is none, none more black. -Nigel Tufnel.

[oobydooby]

A Vantablack screen at the bottom of the garden.  Hey Presto! No more intrusive security light pollution.

Problem solved!

[TheMightyKong]

As it’s like a forest of carbon nanotubes ‘grown’ on the surface by CVD don’t think you can paint it on and I’d imagine all those nanotubes are quite fragile.  I’d be worried they’d break off And turn to black dust inside the scope during repeated handling?

[tooth_dr]

Ah the dark art of sarcasm lost in translation lol

[Gina]

Read about this a while back - awesome and astronomically expensive!

[TheMightyKong]

D’oh!

Actually wasn’t there some new competitor to vantablack that’s not quite as black but more robust?

[Stub Mandrel]

12 hours ago, Geoff Lister said:

Let's hope it will be available, soon, in the "paint" section of B&Q, Wicks etc., and at a reasonable price.

Some chance ... there's an artist, Anish Kapoor, who has bought the sole right to use it as paint, much to the annoyance of other artists.

Vantablack monopoly

[Mr niall]

11 hours ago, domstar said:

It's like how much more black can this be? And the answer is none, none more black. -Nigel Tufnel.

Maybe they should have recorded it in dobly?

[Mr niall]

6 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Some chance ... there's an artist, Anish Kapoor, who has bought the sole right to use it as paint, much to the annoyance of other artists.

Vantablack monopoly

I might be wrong here - but I’m sure a heard a podcast last year that said something like the guy who invented the worlds “pinkest pink” has licensed it for sale to anyone in the world EXCEPT Kapoor in protest. It’s a big deal in artist land apparently.

[Dave In Vermont]

Activated-Charcoal for the eyes!

Got's to find me some - if I can see it on the shelf.....Go make some new "tunnels."

Dave the Ghoul

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, Mr niall said:

I might be wrong here - but I’m sure a heard a podcast last year that said something like the guy who invented the worlds “pinkest pink” has licensed it for sale to anyone in the world EXCEPT Kapoor in protest. It’s a big deal in artist land apparently.

Yes, it was on R4 and that's where I heard of vantablack!

[oobydooby]

I read the article which says the artist Anish Kapoor, has bought the sole right to use it in art, which is not the same as "as paint" which was quoted by Stub Mandrel in the post earlier.  This suggests to me that for scientific and other uses not related to art this paint can still be used, otherwise it would mean that satellites and military weapons could not use it.  So a light absorbing blanket at the bottom of your garden is still a possibilty.

[Stub Mandrel]

https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=9913479a-4468-4e3a-a64a-d68330af438b

I think it will be a while before we can buy it at B&Q.

[DaveS]

If we could use this on roads and pavements then any streetlight going down wouldn't be going up again,

[The Admiral]

27 minutes ago, DaveS said:

If we could use this on roads and pavements then any streetlight going down wouldn't be going up again,

Think you'd have trouble seeing the kerbs! 

Interesting stuff.

Ian

[Droogie 2001]

I have seen an example of this metal bust at the Science Museum in London. It is very odd when you look at it as you genuinely cannot see any reflected light.

It would be fantastic to use it to flock the inside of my telescopes though I think the pricing is quite high. Not to mention any practical issues with using it.

[Shibby]

You can buy the next best thing, Black 2.0: https://www.culturehustle.com/collections/potions/products/black-v1-0-beta-the-world-s-mattest-flattest-blackest-art-material

I await the results from somebody who decides to flock their 'scope with this. One bonus is that your setup will start smelling of cherry!

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, Shibby said:

You can buy the next best thing, Black 2.0: https://www.culturehustle.com/collections/potions/products/black-v1-0-beta-the-world-s-mattest-flattest-blackest-art-material

I await the results from somebody who decides to flock their 'scope with this. One bonus is that your setup will start smelling of cherry!

I might take a punt on that £11.99 looks bit better value than Vantablack too.

*Note: By adding this product to your cart you confirm that you are not Anish Kapoor, you are in no way affiliated to Anish Kapoor, you are not purchasing this item on behalf of Anish Kapoor or an associate of Anish Kapoor. To the best of your knowledge, information and belief this material will not make it's way into the hands of Anish Kapoor.