https://phys.org/news/2024-07-newly-super-black-wood-telescopes.html
'Thanks to an accidental discovery, researchers at the University of British
Columbia have created a new super-black material that absorbs almost all light,
opening potential applications in fine jewelry, solar cells and precision
optical devices.
Professor Philip Evans and Ph.D. student Kenny Cheng were experimenting with
high-energy plasma to make wood more water-repellent. However, when they
applied the technique to the cut ends of wood cells, the surfaces turned
extremely black.
Measurements by Texas A&M University's department of physics and astronomy
confirmed that the material reflected less than 1% of visible light, absorbing
almost all the light that struck it.
Instead of discarding this accidental finding, the team decided to shift their
focus to designing super-black materials, contributing a new approach to the
search for the darkest materials on Earth.
"Ultra-black or super-black material can absorb more than 99% of the light that
strikes it—significantly more so than normal black paint, which absorbs about
97.5% of light," explained Dr. Evans, a professor in the faculty of forestry
and BC Leadership Chair in Advanced Forest Products Manufacturing Technology.
Super-black materials are increasingly sought after in astronomy, where
ultra-black coatings on devices help reduce stray light and improve image
clarity. Super-black coatings can enhance the efficiency of solar cells. They
are also used in making art pieces and luxury consumer items like watches.
The researchers have developed prototype commercial products using their
super-black wood, initially focusing on watches and jewelry, with plans to
explore other commercial applications in the future.'
Via Susan ****
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
