Scientists turn wood into a super-black material that absorbs nearly all light. And it was all by accident

Serendipity has struck gold — or rather, black — for scientists. In a surprising outcome, researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) have developed a new super-black material that absorbs nearly all light.

The new material, known as Nxylon, was made by accident while scientists were doing experiments on wood, intending to make it more water-repellent. Nxylon could make a fine addition to fine jewelry, solar cells, and precision optical devices.

From Water-Repellent Wood to Super-Black Innovation

Professor Philip Evans and his PhD student Kenny Cheng at the University of British Columbia in Canada were experimenting with high-energy plasma to enhance the water resistance of wood. When they applied this technique to the cut ends of wood cells, the surfaces turned extraordinarily black.

Measurements by colleagues at Texas A&M University confirmed that the material reflected less than one percent of visible light, effectively absorbing almost all the light that struck it.

Rather than dismissing this accidental finding, the team doubled down on the super-black material. Their work contributes a new approach to the search for the darkest substances on Earth.

“Ultra-black or super-black material can absorb more than 99 percent of the light that strikes it,” explained Dr. Evans.

This is significantly higher than normal black paint, which absorbs about 97.5 percent of light. The “blackest” black is a material developed by MIT in 2019 that captures at least 99.995 percent of any incoming light.

Nxylon: The New Super-Black Wood

The structure of the super-black wood, named Nxylon, inherently prevents light from escaping rather than relying on black pigments. This feature is highly sought after in various fields. In astronomy, ultra-black coatings on devices help reduce stray light and improve image clarity. Super-black coatings can also enhance the efficiency of solar cells and are used in luxury consumer items.

The researchers have already developed prototype commercial products using Nxylon, including watches and jewelry. They plan to explore other commercial applications in the future.

Nxylon remains black even when coated with an alloy, such as gold, which is applied to make the wood electrically conductive. This property is due to Nxylon’s unique chemical structure that traps light.

“Nxylon’s composition combines the benefits of natural materials with unique structural features, making it lightweight, stiff, and easy to cut into intricate shapes,” said Dr. Evans.

Dr. Evans and his colleagues plan to launch Nxylon Corporation of Canada to scale up applications of Nxylon. They aim to collaborate with jewelers, artists, and tech product designers. They aim to develop a commercial-scale plasma reactor to produce larger super-black wood samples suitable for non-reflective ceiling and wall tiles.

“Nxylon can be made from sustainable and renewable materials widely found in North America and Europe, leading to new applications for wood,” said Dr. Evans. “The wood industry in B.C. is often seen as a sunset industry focused on commodity products—our research demonstrates its great untapped potential.”