Producing the world's blackest fabric, absorbing 99.87% of light

(Dan Tri) - Scientists at Cornell University have developed a super black fabric that can absorb 99.87% of light, opening up potential applications in optics and materials technology.

A dress made from the blackest fabric ever recorded (Photo: Cornell University).

In the latest advances in materials science and optics, engineers at Cornell University (USA) have announced the successful development of the blackest fabric ever produced, with the ability to absorb up to 99.87% of light shining on the surface, nearly reaching the limit of "ultrablack" - a term used to refer to materials that reflect less than 0.5% of light.

To achieve this superior blackness, the team combined nano-processing techniques and bio-inspiration.

Starting with white merino wool (a soft and elastic natural fiber), scientists dyed it with polydopamine, a synthetic melanin polymer that mimics the strong light absorption of natural melanin.

The fibers are then introduced into a plasma chamber, where the fiber surface is etched to create nanofibrils, or tiny fiber structures that can “trap” photons of light.

Through this process, light is not reflected back to the surface but is continuously infiltrated and absorbed between the nanofibrils, causing the amount of light reflected back to only about 0.13% on average over the entire surface.

The fabric's structure was inspired by the Ptiloris magnificus bird, known for its jet-black plumage (Photo: Getty).

The special feature of this fabric is its ability to retain its super black properties even when viewed from a wide angle of up to 60 degrees on both sides, unlike many natural materials such as the feathers of some bird species, which only appear super black when observed directly.

It is this feature that makes the light absorption effect on the fabric much more stable and stronger than observed by the naked eye, creating a truly “pure black” look on the textile material.

Compared to other super black materials, although not the blackest materials in the world (for example, Vantablack, which has achieved a light absorption rate of up to 99.96% or MIT's carbon nanotube materials with about 99.995%), the super black fabric of Cornell University engineers has a big advantage in terms of large-scale production, ease of application in textiles and greater application flexibility.

The fabric production process consists of two main steps: first, dyeing the entire wool fiber with polydopamine to optimize absorption, followed by plasma treatment to create the nanostructure.

With its extremely high absorption properties, it can be used in industrial optics as light-absorbing substrates for cameras, telescopes, solar cells, and optoelectronic devices that require reduced light reflection to increase energy efficiency.

Additionally, the heat absorption effect can also be exploited in products for insulation or surface temperature regulation.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/khoa-hoc/san-xuat-loai-vai-den-nhat-the-gioi-hap-thu-9987-anh-sang-20251205083147611.htm