iarjetIARJETIARJET2708-5163https://doi.org/10.47310/iarjet.2023.v04i02.011Rheological and optical properties of K₂SiO₃/ZnO nanocomposite coated on low carbon steel for UV-shielding applicationThamar.A.Al-mussawyIn this research, a thin coating film of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs)/potassium silicate (K₂SiO₃) was deposited by spray coating method on low carbon steel tube used in the heat exchanger to reducing the side effect of UV-visible light. The results showed that the addition of ZnO NPs with (0.005, 0.01 and 0.02) wt% to K₂SiO₃ are directly proportional to the viscosity (24.3, 25.6 and 27.2) cP and thermal conductivity (0.528, 0.538 and 0.590) W/m.K of the nanocomposite. The absorbance of the coating film is directly proportional to the film thickness. That is to say, increasing the film thickness (130 µm to 250 µm) will increase the absorbance and consequently decrease the reflectance which attains good UV-shielding performance. The FTIR test for coating layer (K₂SiO₃/0.02 ZnO NPs) indicated that a certain peak was formed at 3419.79 cm-1 wavelengths. (FTIR) confirmed the present Zn–O bond (tetrahedral) at 451.34 cm-1 and the existence of silicon by observed Si-OH and Si-O-Si bands at 3454.51 and 102.27 cm-1, respectively. The formed functional group appears as initial markers of chemical interactions between materials in the preparation process of making nanocomposite films.