Science & Technology

Scientists invent world's blackest material

By T.K. Randall
October 26, 2015 ·  17 comments

How black is it possible for something to be ? Image Credit: sxc.hu Described as being so black that looking at it is like gazing in to a never-ending abyss, the new material was inspired by the white cyphochilus beetle which possesses special scales that are able to reflect light extremely effectively - the stark opposite of what the scientists set out to achieve.

Created using nanoparticle rods, the material is 26 percent darker than the previously known blackest material and is capable of absorbing a whopping 99 percent of all visible light.Its invention could enable the creation of more efficient solar panels and it can even be diluted in to a liquid which means it can be easily created and applied in a variety of different situations.

The researchers have even proposed the idea of a material that is darker still - one that can absorb all radiation at all angles and polarisations - but whether such a thing could ever be produced in reality remains to be seen.

A look at the previously blackest known material, which was created using carbon nanotubes, can be viewed in the news report footage below.


Source: Independent | Comments (17)

Tags: Black, Solar Panel