A series of polymer-acid-modified red mud composite (PRM) materials that consist of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and layered Red mud (RM) are prepared by effectively dispersing organic PVA matrix into the inorganic layers of modified RM via a conventional solvent casting technique. The as-synthesized PRM materials are typically characterized by Fourier transformation infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and wide-angle X-ray diffraction. The morphological image of as-synthesized materials is studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscope (OM). Effects of the material composition on the thermal stability and optical clarity of PVA along with a series of PRM materials freestanding film are also studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and UV-vis transmission spectra, respectively. (C) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103: 238-243, 2007