Vantablack

Abstract: Earlier this year, British sculptor, Anish Kapoor was given exclusive rights to use a new spray-on carbon nanotube-based paint. The material ‐ produced by UK-based Surrey NanoSystems and marketed as Vantablack S-VIS ‐ can be applied to a range of surfaces, and absorbs well over 99% of the light that falls onto it. 1 It is claimed to be the world’s blackest paint, and there is growing interest in its use in works of art and highend consumer products. It’s easy to see the appeal of Vantablack S-VIS. Apart from technical applications where stray reflections need to be suppressed, this is a material that potentially enables manufacturers and artists to give their products a unique aesthetic edge. Yet, having worked on carbon nanotube safety for some years, I was intrigued to see the material in a spray-paint designed to coat objects that people may possibly come into contact with. It was, after all, only a few years ago that journalists were asking if carbon nanotubes were the next asbestos. 2 And while this is unlikely, concerns over the possible health impacts of the material persist. Safety concerns of purposely manufactured carbon nanotubes began in the 1990’s.