The surrounding objects, which we are accustomed to consider black, are in fact not such, since some of the radiation incident on them is reflected from the surface. Absolutely black material should have one hundred percent light absorption. Until some point, this seemed impossible, but modern research and technology has been able to bring value closer to ideal.
Vantablack S-VIS
The first paint, which received the right to be called the blackest on the planet, was the development of a group of specialists from the British organization Surrey NanoSystems. The basis for the created substance was carbon nanotubes, and the material, due to its structure, had the ability to absorb 99.96% of the visible radiation incident on it. The minimum amount of reflected light allowed the substance to recreate the effect of the abyss and two-dimensional blackness.
The latest technology is called Vantablack and has become a valuable tool for improving defense and space systems. One version of the developed coating is the spray paint Vantablack S-VIS, which also has an extremely low reflectivity.
Not only engineers, but also masters of the art sphere quickly became interested in coating. Indeed, the unique matte properties of a super black pigment could become the basis for incredible installations, for example, to simulate a bottomless space.
The famous sculptor Anish Kapoor turned to the company and agreed to obtain exclusive rights to use nanotechnology in his artwork. Only him was allowed to use paint in the form of a spray, which outraged other representatives of the art world.
Most of all, Kapoor’s act touched his British colleague-artist Stuart Sample. The current situation has grown into a creative conflict. In spite of Kapoor, the British released a series of his own dyes and made them available to everyone except the owner of the rights of Vantablack.
The author’s projects include pigments:
- Glittery Glitter - the most radiant glitter;
- PINK is the pinkest pink;
- Shift and Phaze - paints that change color from exposure to different temperatures;
- BLACK 2.0 is the best black.
BLACK 2.0
BLACK 2.0 is one of Stuart's most successful developments. The substance in its light-absorbing parameters surpassed Vantablack and became its improved analogue. BLACK 2.0 has risen a notch not only in performance, but also in accessibility. Like other products released on behalf of Sample, anyone except Anish Kapoor can freely purchase ultra-high-quality paint.
Singularity black
Championship in the endless race for the name of the author of the most matte and black pigment, Stuart Sample managed to keep for a short time. An even darker substance, Singularity Black, has appeared on the market.
The creator of the ultra-black novelty was the Massachusetts NanoLab laboratory. This material absorbs all the light, so the volumetric objects covered by it look completely flat. In pigment-dyed things, all forms and textures are completely erased, and instead there is only a dark void.
The first to try out a new pigment in his work was Jason Chase, using nanostain in a sculpture of Black Iron Ursa.
An early version of NanoSystems could be bought only by legal entities at a rather high price. And now, having paid $ 50 for a jar (20 ml) of Singularity Black, anyone can convert any object into a “black hole”.
