As shown in Fig. 4(a), the quenched photoactivity in ZnO composite could be restored after heat treatment when LBZA was completly converted to ZnO. It further confirmed that LBZA has an active role in quenching photoactivity. Xiao et al. reported that a 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (PDMA)/TiO2 hybrid NP layer around a polystyrene core was highly effective in screening UV and eliminating photoactivity. Here the polymer layer blocked the emission of surface electron and minimised the photoactivity [20]. In our ZnO nanorod composite, it is thought that the LBZA which has a structure of positively charged sheets [Zn(OH)1.6·0.4H2O]2+ intercalated by negatively charged CH3COO− groups provides protonic sites with which radicals produced under UV radiation can react, thus mitigating further generation of oxidative radicals and consequently lowering photoactivity. Therefore, the ZnO nanorod/LBZA composite has diminished photoactivity compared with pure ZnO and may be potentially ideal for a safer UV blocker in sunscreen formulation