"Vantablack" absorbs an astonishing 99.965% of visible light, allowing only a minuscule amount to escape, pushing the boundaries of the darkest material ever created. When standing in front of it, shapes, contours, and details nearly disappear, evoking the sensation of gazing into an endless, unfathomable void—as staring directly into a black hole.

Pure black objects are rare in nature. While blue skies and green lakes are common sights, truly black flowers or oceans are almost nonexistent. In fact, pure black is scarcely found in everyday life or in the natural world. Take carbon black ink, for instance—it may look black, but when diluted in water, it reveals a purple hue. On closer inspection, what we perceive as black is often a blend of various colors, highlighting the complexity of our perception.

So why is black so rare? In reality, objects don't possess color on their own. The colors we perceive result from how an object’s surface reflects or absorbs light and how our eyes and brain interpret that light. Visible light spans wavelengths from approximately 380 to 750 nanometers. Different wavelengths are processed by the brain to be seen as distinct colors. Although the human eye can distinguish around 10 million colors, true black—representing near-total absorption of visible light—is elusive because it reflects virtually nothing for our brains to interpret.

An object appears black for one of two main reasons: either due to the absence of light (not our focus here), or because it absorbs nearly all visible light and reflects none. Materials capable of such absorption are extremely rare, making truly black substances hard to come by.

The Challenge of Achieving EC Black Technology

Currently, no material absorbs the full visible light spectrum. DDeveloping effective black materials remains the main bottleneck in electrochromic (EC) technology. Three key challenges define this pursuit:

Full-Spectrum Light Absorption

Every material has its own optical, chemical, and physical properties. For black materials, they need to absorb almost all wavelengths of visible light from 380 to 750 nm. Most struggle to maintain uniform and efficient absorption across such a wide range. This requires synthesizing new compounds and ensuring compatibility among potentially hundreds of materials. The process involves extensive experimentation and validation.

Dynamic Uniformity and Consistency

As black materials transition from transparent to tinted states, complex internal reactions occur. Even with the right material combination, ensuring uniform color during dimming remains a significant challenge. It’s similar to jade glass — its transparency reveals internal impurities. To maintain color uniformity, each segment must remain consistent, free of pigment deposits or flaws.

Additionally, when combining different functional materials, such as conductive and electrochromic compounds, their dispersion and compatibility differ. Ensuring uniform distribution is crucial for even coloration. Production methods such as coating or deposition must achieve extremely consistent film thickness. Even minor variations can lead to uneven optical performance, affecting color quality. Precise process control is crucial.

Long-Term Material Stability

Material stability directly affects performance, durability, and practical usability. Achieving full-spectrum absorption often requires special or composite materials, which introduce complexity and may compromise long-term chemical and physical stability—especially under prolonged light exposure.

Synthesizing high-performance materials also requires intricate processes, including precise control over reaction conditions and rigorous testing, to ensure they meet stringent performance standards.

A Breakthrough in Black EC Technology

EC black materials are often regarded as the "crown jewel" of the industry. Ambilight is currently the only technology company capable of mass-producing black smart films. The black smart sunroof and side windows has already been applied in over 20 vehicle models, marking a significant milestone in the development of EC technology. This achievement demonstrates humanity's ultimate pursuit of mastery over light and color.