| Abstract Scope |
Zinc stannate nanostructures have garnered interest from researchers because of their tunable properties. However, the challenge lies in synthesizing the material to achieve the desired morphology and phase, as the growth mechanism of ternary metal oxides is quite complex. In this study, various nanostructures, viz., nanocubes, nanoparticles, nanoplatelets, nanorods, and polyhedra, have been synthesized using an efficient hydrothermal approach considering various physicochemical aspects. Nanostructures with selected size, phase, and morphology were used to fabricate thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) nanocomposite films, and their UV protection and gas barrier performance was evaluated. Zinc stannate nanorods with a high aspect ratio offer superior UV-blocking, with an 80% improvement in UPF mean value as compared to pristine TPU film. The presence of nanorods and nanoplatelets in TPU films creates a tortuous pathway, resulting in a substantial enhancement of about 34% and 39% against helium and oxygen barriers, respectively, and the corresponding mechanism is also illustrated. |