# Vantablack nanomaterial: how much more black can it be? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 15, 2014, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vantablack-nanomaterial-how-much-more-black-can-it-be/693130 "2014-07-15T02:26:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vantablack-nanomaterial-how-much-more-black-can-it-be/693130/1 "2014-07-15T02:26:47Z")
See [subject](http://www.surreynanosystems.com/news/19/). They’ll never get that 4%. Apparently even more impressive, aside from the manufacturing breakthrough, is that figure applies in the IR as well. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vantablack-nanomaterial-how-much-more-black-can-it-be/693130/2 "2014-07-15T03:20:25Z")
.04 percent. I want a men’s suit of that stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vantablack-nanomaterial-how-much-more-black-can-it-be/693130/3 "2014-07-15T03:26:56Z")
When I saw that, I wanted a suit made of it as well. Even a tie would be pretty cool. I suspect that it would be both very fragile, and unaffordable. But as a material for lining optical systems it will be brilliant. Paint for my home theatre too. Get that ultimate blacker than black screen contrast. I would guess that the material ceases to be ultra black at wavelengths that differ significantly from the size of the nanotubes. It would go either transparent or start to reflect. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vantablack-nanomaterial-how-much-more-black-can-it-be/693130/4 "2014-07-15T05:35:54Z")
The answer is none. None more black. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vantablack-nanomaterial-how-much-more-black-can-it-be/693130/5 "2014-07-15T06:08:22Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > The answer is none. None more black. Dammit. Beat me to it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Randolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Randolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randolph)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vantablack-nanomaterial-how-much-more-black-can-it-be/693130/6 "2014-07-15T14:14:47Z")
I want ten suits made of this stuff - five in a dark black, and five in a slightly darker black. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vantablack-nanomaterial-how-much-more-black-can-it-be/693130/7 "2014-07-15T14:16:17Z")
Is _this_ the new black? ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vantablack-nanomaterial-how-much-more-black-can-it-be/693130/8 "2014-07-15T14:24:30Z")
Do they have it in a pastel black? ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vantablack-nanomaterial-how-much-more-black-can-it-be/693130/9 "2014-07-15T14:37:00Z")
That’s a bit Goth for my tastes. Does it come in a nice charcoal gray?