A sol-gel process has been successfully utilized to form hybrid materials of poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB) and zirconium dioxide (zirconia). The gelation occurred due to the interaction between remaining hydroxyl group of PVB and zirconia. The hybrids showed good optical transparency and significant improvement in Young's modulus, dynamic mechanical property, abrasion resistance and impact resistance. The glass transition temperature of PVB shifted to higher temperatures by hybridization of PVB and zirconia.

Plasticized polyvinyl butyral (PVB)-silica nanocomposite films were formed by mixing PVB ethanol solution and silica sol, which was prepared from tetraethyl orthosilicate. The nanocomposite films were colorless and transparent even though the content of silica was 70 wt%. The glass transition temperature of PVB in the silica 2.5 wt% nanocomposites was higher by about 108C than that of plasticized PVB. The PVB-silica nanocomposite films were applied as an interlayer for laminated glass. The laminated glass made with the nanocomposite films containing less than 10 wt% silica showed good penetration resistance, not only at room temperature but also at 708C. J. VINYL ADDIT.TECHNOL., 00:000-000,