Scientists have a new way to make cars more black than ever before

A team led by researchers at UC Santa Barbara has developed a coating for cars that absorbs 99.9% of visible light, making finishes darker than ever before. The approach moves beyond carbon-black dispersions by employing structural absorption, which uses a surface architecture to boost light capture. Zhiwei Liu, a Nipsea Group Color Technology chemist, notes that the method raises absorption beyond traditional pigments and could enable ultra-black, mass-processable coatings that still meet automotive standards.

Experts acknowledge that further work is needed to refine the coating’s application window and its performance when combined with carbon black pigment and carbon nanotube composites. The ultra-black color could appeal to luxury brands seeking dramatic aesthetics, but widespread commercialization remains years away. A 2019 BMW X6 Vantablack concept is cited as an extreme example that reportedly absorbed more than 99 percent of visible light, though environmental conditions can degrade such pigments.

Despite the potential, the paper stresses that additional testing and validation are required before a broad adoption in production vehicles. The research sits alongside ongoing efforts to produce scalable, durable ultra-black finishes for automotive use. If successful, automakers could gain a distinctive signature finish that complements existing paint and processing methods used on premium models.