A carbon nanotube coating capable of of absorbing 99.9% of an object’s light has been developed by engineers. The coating can conceal an object’s 3-D geometry, rendering it hidden.
Human eyes perceive an object based on how it reflects or scatters light. The new coating ensures light traveling through air doesn’t scatter or reflect when it hits the coating. The effectiveness of the carbon nanotubes absorbing light at such a high percentage is owed to the researchers careful spacing of the nanotubes.
The 70-micron coating is about half the thickness of a sheet of paper. It has potential for use in display screens for ultra-high contrast, solar heating devices, or even camouflage paint for stealth aircraft.
Read more at University of Michigan