Scientists from Cornell University in the US have created the blackest fabric. It absorbs 99.87% of light and reflects 0.13%.
The team was inspired by the plumage of the magnificent shield bird (Ptiloris magnificus), found in the tropical forests of western New Guinea and northeastern Australia. It was also extremely dark. Feathers are saturated with the pigment melanin and densely located small fibers that affect the reflection of light.
To create the desired effect, the scientists soaked white merino wool knitwear with polydopamine, a synthetic black dye. They seek to ensure that polydopamine can penetrate all fibers of the tissue. The material is then fed into a plasma chamber to create nanofibers, which grow extremely small and have many spikes, The Daily Mail reported.
The resulting fabric remains super black at different angles. It also retains its elasticity, making it easy to use. This fabric can be used in solar power, temperature regulation camouflage, in cameras, solar panels and telescopes. The authors of the project note that in the future it will even be possible to sew clothes from it.
Note that the blackest material ever created is the Vantablack coating, created at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It consists of carbon nanotubes grown on chlorine-etched aluminum foil. It absorbs at least 99.995% of incident light.
Previously it was known that China has built robots to remove carbon dioxide from the air. They work in enclosed spaces. Such devices could become part of life support systems during space flights.
