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Great By Design

Great By Design

World

Vantablack: The world’s blackest material

Published 10:56 AM EST, Wed November 15, 2017
Link Copied!
Vantablack has been used in various aesthetic applications including this luxury watch by Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps (MCT) in Switzerland.
The world's darkest material —
Vantablack has been used in various aesthetic applications including this luxury watch by Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps (MCT) in Switzerland.
Diode SA/Denis Hayoun
Fine jewelry company, Ore has applied Vantablack to their range of interactive rings. Made of 18-carat gold and olivine crystals, each ring is paired with a single star. As the star reaches its zenith position, LED lights glow through the crystals.
The world's darkest material —
Fine jewelry company, Ore has applied Vantablack to their range of interactive rings. Made of 18-carat gold and olivine crystals, each ring is paired with a single star. As the star reaches its zenith position, LED lights glow through the crystals.
Ore
British nanotech company Surrey NanoSystems first created Vantablack in 2014.
The world's darkest material —
British nanotech company Surrey NanoSystems first created Vantablack in 2014.
Surrey NanoSystems
It is so dark the human eye can't discern its shape and form, creating what has been called a black hole.
The world's darkest material —
It is so dark the human eye can't discern its shape and form, creating what has been called a black hole.
Surrey NanoSystems
Vantablack can make a three-dimensional object look like a two-dimensional cardboard cut out. Here, it's used on a container of Lynx deodorant.
The world's darkest material —
Vantablack can make a three-dimensional object look like a two-dimensional cardboard cut out. Here, it's used on a container of Lynx deodorant.
Surrey NanoSystems
The material is made up of millions of carbon nanotubes, each measuring two or three nanometers -- or roughly one millionth of a millimeter.
The world's darkest material —
The material is made up of millions of carbon nanotubes, each measuring two or three nanometers -- or roughly one millionth of a millimeter.
Surrey NanoSystems
The nanotubes are "grown" at temperatures of 430 degrees Celsius or higher.
The world's darkest material —
The nanotubes are "grown" at temperatures of 430 degrees Celsius or higher.
Surrey NanoSystems
It creates some surprising visual effects. Creases and bumps on this aluminum foil are easily picked up by the human eye ...
The world's darkest material —
It creates some surprising visual effects. Creases and bumps on this aluminum foil are easily picked up by the human eye ...
CNN
... but once covered with Vantablack, all wrinkles and roughness seem to disappear, because the material absorbs 99.96% of all light.
The world's darkest material —
... but once covered with Vantablack, all wrinkles and roughness seem to disappear, because the material absorbs 99.96% of all light.
Surrey NanoSystems
Vantablack's surreal effect on the eye is demonstrated on this bust. Coating the 3D bust with Vantablack makes it appear as a head-shaped black-hole when viewed from the front.
The world's darkest material —
Vantablack's surreal effect on the eye is demonstrated on this bust. Coating the 3D bust with Vantablack makes it appear as a head-shaped black-hole when viewed from the front.
Surrey NanoSystems
Though the presenter's forehead, nose and mustache re-appear when viewed in profile.<br />
The world's darkest material —
Though the presenter's forehead, nose and mustache re-appear when viewed in profile.
Surrey NanoSystems
Even water refuses to interact with the material due to the super-hydrophobic surface.<br />
The world's darkest material —
Even water refuses to interact with the material due to the super-hydrophobic surface.
Surrey NanoSystems
A new spray version of the coating can now be applied at a large scale to virtually any surface.
The world's darkest material —
A new spray version of the coating can now be applied at a large scale to virtually any surface.
Surrey NanoSystems
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