Insights into the effects of physico-chemical parameters in tailoring zinc stannate nanostructures for UV protection and gas barrier properties of thermoplastic polyurethane nanocomposites

Zinc stannate nanostructures have attracted attention from researchers because of their tunable physical and chemical characteristics. The challenge, however, lies in understanding the synthesis of ternary metal oxides, as it is quite complex. Herein, zinc stannate nanostructures (nanocubes, nanoparticles, nanoplatelets, nanorods, and polyhedra) have been synthesized using an efficient and low-cost hydrothermal approach considering various physico-chemical parameters. Unique-morphing nanostructures were selected to fabricate thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) nanocomposite films. Altering the filler’s morphology considerably alters the UV protection factor. Zinc stannate nanorods with high aspect ratio offer superior UV-blocking, with an 80 % improvement in UPF mean value compared to pristine TPU film. The presence of nanorods in TPU films creates a tortuous pathway, resulting in a substantial enhancement of about 34 % and 39 % of the gas barrier property against helium and oxygen, respectively. Moreover, the effect of varied morphology and their dispersion on the gas barrier mechanism is also illustrated.