Flower Extract-Reinforce ZnO Nanoparticles for Sustainable and Enhanced UV Protection

Abstract The present study investigates the impact of natural flower extracts namely rose ( Rosa damascena ), sunflower ( He- lianthus annuus ), zinnia ( Zinnia elegans ), kachnar ( Bauhinia var- iegata ), tuberose ( Polianthes tuberosa ), marigold ( Tagetes erecta ), and bougainvillea ( Bougainvillea spectabilis ) on Sun Protection Factor (SPF) when used in combination with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles. In this research ZnO nanoparticles were syn- thesized by sol-gel method. These particles were characterized through XRD, SEM, FTIR, UV and PL. The results confirm that ZnO nanoparticles were successfully synthesized which shows hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure. The extracts of flowers were obtained through ethanolic extraction. The obtained extracts were incorporated with ZnO nanoparticles in the matrix of prepared sunscreen for measurement of SPF. SPF was evalu- ated in vitro using spectrophotometry (Mansur equation). The results showed that the combination of sunflower and rose has higher SPF value because consists of higher carotenoids and flavonoids. After investigate all the results, this research suggest that integrating flower-derived bioactive compounds with ZnO nanoparticles offer a natural and effective strategy for developing broad-spectrum sunscreens with improved UV-blocking potential. The results validate flower extracts as eco-friendly, sustainable additives for boosting ZnO-based UV protection in cosmetics and textiles, reducing synthetic filter dependency. Further optimiza- tion of extract concentrations and stability is recommended for commercial applications.