Vantablack has been around since 2014, but it was not applied to vehicles until very recently. Although the unique vantablack coating was developed originally for space-borne components, it is now readily being used for automotive purposes.
So, can you paint your car Vantablack? Yes, this paint has been welcomed with open arms by the world of cars and automobiles. Therefore, as a consumer, you must know all there is about what makes the paint unique along with other features that it brings forth.
Keep following the article below to find out more about vantablack, its application, and its benefits.
How Much Does Vantablack Cost?
Vantablack is referred to as the ‘blackest black material’ along with having the highest rate of light absorption. It is formed of carbon nanotubes and has several applications. It can be used for spaceships along with having military uses.
While being highly multipurpose, this paint cannot be employed for regular users because it is very expensive. With its production process involves the electrophoresis chemical vapor technique during which carbon nanotubes are deposited along the surface of its application, making it a lot more expensive to buy.
Additionally, even the process of its application is complicated in comparison with other paints, requiring training followed by very careful application. Its application requires an electrostatic chemical vapor, which applies to the many nanotubes being deposited perpendicularly on the surface. Vantablack’s high resistance to wear and tear, and high absorption in the visible light range make it cost around $300,000.
However, to make a vantablack coating more budget-friendly, you can apply a matte black wrap, followed by a clear matte tint and a matte polymer finish. This technique will provide you with a deeper and darker black than other matte paints, while also costing a lesser amount of money
This very high cost of vantablack is due to the fact that it is grown on materials like aluminum foil. Owing to its thinness, it requires a lot of time and precision for each layer to be applied to the surface.
What Is The Darkest Black I Can Paint My Car?
Although the color black was hard to reproduce for the manufacturers in the paint market owing to the constraint on available pigments, things have now changed. Very recently, BMW employed the vantablack X6 which had a light absorption rate of over 99 percent. This high absorption quality makes it the darkest shade of black to be seen anywhere.
Vantablack’s unique-light absorbing coating is inspired by deep sea creatures. Additionally, it is able to prevent stray light from interfering with the automobile’s sensors and motors. Therefore, although it is legal for usage now, it’s not widely available for a normal person to buy. The process of buying this most opaque black paint requires you to go through licensing, which in itself is a difficult process.
When sprayed evenly to the surface using an electrostatic chemical vapor, vantablack can provide its consumers with the closest thing to a pure black color. Adding to its massive appeal to consumers, a company in Japan was adamant about not letting Vantablack rule the market.
Consequently, they created their own version of the darkest paint called Musou Black. This new paint is among the darkest black paints in the world, with a light absorption rate of 99 percent.
Properties of Vantablack Paint
Adding on to the information provided above, we will now begin to look at some additional properties of the vantablack paint.
No Reflection
What makes this paint even more unique is that it has no reflection. This also makes it more appealing for space communities to invest in because light interference can negatively impact their results. Keeping in with the darkness of this color, it is almost impossible to be looked at which makes the borders of all things that it is painted on disappear.
It Makes Objects Appear Two-Dimensional
As the color is so dark in its blackness, objects that are painted with vantablack can lose their three-dimensional shape and start to appear two-dimensional. To elaborate on this, it is as if all the borders and contour lines of any shape, car, or object that it appears on just cease to exist.
It Will Not Go Into Mass Production
In consideration of the fact that using this paint on cars will negatively impact night driving, it has been agreed by its manufacturers that it would be too dangerous to produce Vantablack on a mass scale.
In addition to that, it would be unsafe to use even during the day. This is because even during daylight, a vantablack-coated car would not be able to stand out enough to other drivers, making it more prone to causing accidents.
Companies Plan On Using It For Headsup Displays
If you are a huge fan of vantablack and wish to see it being used more commonly, do not be disheartened by its lack of usage for vehicles. Instead, its manufacturers have other plans in mind, where they see think it to be useful when employed in the heads-up displays inside cars that can be distracting for drivers when they are reflective.
As a result, vantablack would assist in reducing distractions for drivers by allowing them to see the road clearer. Moreover, it will also reduce the glares that come off of devices within the car, focusing the driver’s attention purely on the road.
Final Thoughts
Having made it through the article this far, it can reasonably be inferred that although vantablack is a unique invention that has caught a lot of attention since becoming legal, it cannot be as widely used as people may want it to be.
This is because it is highly expensive with a lot of training required for its application along with much detail and precision. Its high price is also attributed to its detailed manufacturing process.
Therefore, although vantablack is a one-of-its-kind paint that has never been seen before, it is advisable that you do not spend this huge amount of money on owning a vantablack-coated vehicle as it can be dangerous and prove to not be worth the investment.
Make sure to follow all my tips and recommended products to ensure your project turns out great! Also, don’t forget to check out my other articles for all your painting Q&A’s. Happy painting!
