A Benzonitrile-Based Sodium Coordination Polymer with UV-Absorbing Properties: Synthesis, Characterization, Crystallography, and Thin-Film Preparations

The need for UV absorbers has been driven by increased UV-induced degradation risks of plastics, textiles, and coatings. The current study states a facile coordination framework synthesis by refluxing 2-hydroxybenzonitrile (2-HB) with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) in dimethylformamide (DMF). The colorless product displays a monoclinic crystal system with the P2₁/c space group (CCDC number #2357510). Its surface morphology reveals a well-defined two-dimensional pattern having a uniform composition and a thickness of 14–16 μm, while its strong ultraviolet (UV) absorption characteristics are demonstrated after adding it to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) thin films at 1, 1.5, and 2% weight. When subjected to ultraviolet (UV) aging testing in a UV aging chamber to evaluate their durability and performance under prolonged UV exposure, these films show UV resistance with enhanced stability compared with those reported in the literature. The aging resistance of these fabricated films is evaluated using spectral techniques. The 2 wt % PVC/N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) formulation demonstrates enhanced UV resistance among all to systematically benchmark against commercial UV absorbers.