Photo credit: UBC Forestry/Ally Penders
There’s Black 4.0, and then Nxylon, a super-black wood material developed by University of British Columbia (UBC) researchers that absorbs almost all light. The name is derived from Nyx, the Greek goddess of the night, and xylon, the Greek word for wood.
Nxylon remains black even when coated with an alloy like gold, which when applied, makes it electrically conductive enough to be viewed and studied using an electron microscope. Why? Its structure basically prevents light from escaping rather than depending on black pigments. This material can be used to replace expensive and rare black woods like ebony as well as rosewood for watch faces or used in jewelry to replace the black gemstone onyx.
- Move effortlessly through life with Ray-Ban Meta glasses. Capture photos and videos, listen to music, make hands-free calls or ask Meta AI* questions...
- Take on life with AI* that helps you flow through your day. When activated, Meta AI can analyze your surroundings and provide context-rich suggestions
- With live translation, you can hear translations in real-time between French, Italian, Spanish and English, no wifi needed
Nxylon can be made from sustainable and renewable materials widely found in North America and Europe, leading to new applications for wood. The wood industry in B.C. is often seen as a sunset industry focused on commodity products—our research demonstrates its great untapped potential,” said Dr. Evans, UBC Professor.
[Source]
