Abstract: A process for preparing zinc oxide comprises introducing, into an atmosphere, an aqueous solution of a zinc salt that is thermally decomposable to zinc oxide, the atmosphere having a temperature sufficient to decompose the salt to the oxide, and recovering zinc oxide. The zinc oxide so-prepared is in the form of discrete particles which can have an average particle size of 0.08 .mu.m or less in diameter and a surface area of at least 12.5 m.sup.2 /g and which is also free of zinc metal. The small particle size zinc oxide is particularly useful as a UV absorbing/scattering additive.