Poly(vinyl butyral)–silica nanocomposites were synthesized in situ with three different degrees of butyral and with varying silica content for each vinyl butyral polymer ratio. The glass transition temperatures of the polymer nanocomposites were found to be ∼40–46 and ∼52°C for the neat polymer, respectively. The 4 wt% silica loaded film showed higher strength and lower strain to failure compared with the neat polymer. The matrix with 0.5 and 0.75 butyral:alcohol for 2.5–4 wt% silica exhibited good water vapor transmission and the efficiencies of these films were 50% higher than their encapsulated pristine polymer films. © 2016, Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.