Zinc oxide nanoparticles and nanorods: advanced sunscreen ingredients for enhanced UV protection and radiation filtration

Ammar A. Oglat; Abdallah Al Said; Naser M. Ahmed; Mohammed Dawood Salman

doi:10.46481/jnsps.2025.2917

Authors

Ammar A. Oglat
[email protected]

Department of Medical Imaging, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, 13133, Jordan
Abdallah Al Said
School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Penang, Malaysia
Naser M. Ahmed
Laser and Optoelectronics Engineering Department, Dijlah University College, Baghdad, Iraq
Mohammed Dawood Salman
Department of Medical Physics, College of Applied Sciences, University of Fallujah, Iraq

Keywords:

Zinc oxide, UV absorption, Nanoparticles, Sunscreen, Sun protection factor (SPF), Critical wavelength

Abstract

Due to its high ability to absorb ultraviolet rays in a wide spectrum, zinc oxide has emerged as the most important element used in the manufacture of sunscreens and cosmetics. This study aimed to determine the composition of zinc oxide nanorods and nanoparticles, as well as their impact on UV ray absorption. This was done by using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM-EDS) and Ultra Violet (UV-Visible) spectroscopy to look at sunscreen samples that had different amounts of zinc oxide added to them. We prepared two types of commercial zinc oxide powder using a chemical bath deposition method. After characterizing samples of the two powders using FESEM-EDS spectroscopy, various shapes emerged, with rods dominating in both powders. The length of the structure was 224.7 nm, 9.443 ?m, and the diameter was 75.65 nm, 859.9 nm, respectively. The sun protection factor and the critical wavelength for the prepared samples were calculated using UV-Visible spectroscopy to measure the absorbance. An increasing zinc oxide to a certain extent led to an increase in UV ray absorption in all regions of the UV ray wavelength, with the ideal zinc oxide ratio being. The sunscreen had a concentration of 27.5%, and the use of zinc oxide provided broad protection from ultraviolet rays in all samples at the critical wavelength. In conclusion, increasing zinc oxide concentration in sunscreen increased the sun protection factor, critical wavelength, and UV ray protection.

Dimensions

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