New Fabric Absorbs 99.87% Light, Fashion's Blackest Yet

Researchers at Cornell University have created a new "ultra-black" fabric, absorbing an exceptional 99.87% of light. This material surpasses current commercial options in its light-absorbing capabilities and maintains its deep blackness across a wide range of viewing angles. Its development was inspired by the unique plumage of the magnificent riflebird.

The innovative fabric is achieved by dyeing merino wool with polydopamine and then treating it in a plasma chamber to create light-trapping nanofibrils. Beyond its potential to transform the fashion industry with garments like a recently designed black dress, the fabric has significant implications for technology, including enhanced cameras, solar panels, and telescopes.

This breakthrough fabric is described as wearable, scalable, and straightforward to manufacture, with a patent application filed. While it represents the blackest fabric currently reported, it is slightly less light-absorbent than the carbon nanotube foil developed by MIT in 2019, which holds the record for the blackest material.