The effects of silica, mullite, alpha-alumina, and gamma-alumina on the nonoxidative thermal degradation of poly(vinyl butyral) are described. To varying degrees, all of the inorganic oxides catalyzed reactions that produced butanal. Other significant products included : water, butenal, acetic acid, and alkyl aromatics. Two distinct evolution steps were detected for samples containing mullite and alpha-alumina, suggesting that multiple interactions existed between these oxides and the polymer. The relative amounts of volatile aromatic products evolved by heating polymer/oxide samples were greater than the amounts generated from the neat polymer. For the polymer/gamma-alumina sample, carboxylate species were detected on oxide surfaces above 250 degrees C, indicating that a reaction between the polymer and gamma-alumina occurred.