Surrey NanoSystems Ltd

Surrey NanoSystems is focussed on the development, growth and commercialisation of strategically important nano materials. With a modern nanomaterials research facility, the capability to grow nanomaterial and nanocatalysts using a range of proprietary in-house plasma systems developed internally, as well as an advanced capability in nanostructure characterisation and analysis, SNS operates at the leading edge in carbon nanomaterials technology. The company was founded in 2006 as a spinout from The University of Surrey, and backed by one of the UK’s most successful early-stage technology specialist venture capitalists, IP Group PLC. Tasked with developing and commercializing carbon-based nanomaterials (Carbon nanotubes and Graphene), the company has made a huge leap forward with its Vantablack™ material. SNS have developed a process for producing a very high integrity, highly emissive black body absorber coating. Vantablack™ offers better emissivity than current alternatives such as Goldblack, Martin Black or Aktar, and also demonstrates no outgassing, very high vibration and shock resistance, and thermal stability from -196°C to +450°C. This material demonstrates the lowest Total Hemispherical Reflectance (THR) of any current absorber coating, as low as 0.15% in the 4-15 micron wavelength range, and 0.04% in visible wavelength range. Potential applications include: • As an absorber layer in passive IR sensors. • As a blackbody calibration source. • As a stray light suppression coating for baffles, guides, diffusers etc. in optical and IR imaging devices. VantablackTM is a Vertically Aligned Carbon NanoTube Array (VANTA) grown directly (atomically bonded) onto the substrate material. Importantly, the growth process we have developed uniquely enables direct absorber coating growth on temperature sensitive substrates, allowing integration within CMOS/MEMS process and deposition on copper or aluminum for the first time.