Surrey NanoSystems’ unique nanotechnology processing know-how has been used to deposit the world’s blackest material on lightweight, temperature-sensitive substrates. Its new super-black coating can be applied to optical instruments for space applications, to reduce reflections and increase sensitivity.
The breakthrough stems from the company’s patented process for manufacturing carbon nanotubes at low temperatures. In this application, the technology allows the company to fabricate super-black coatings on space-qualified lightweight aluminum components. The black coating material, which has recently been shown publicly at the 2013 UK Space Conference, sets a new record for the lowest reflectance in the infrared spectrum on materials such as aluminum, with a total hemispherical reflectance of less than 0.15% across the mid-infrared wavelength region.