A method for making a composite material and composite material

Herein described is a method for making a composite material, comprising the steps of (a) swelling a blank hydrogel or a blank organogel using an inorganic precursor mixture to form an inorganic precursor-containing solvent-containing gel, wherein the inorganic precursor mixture comprises a solvent and one or more inorganic precursors, and (b) converting the inorganic precursor into ceramic or metal within the solvent-containing gel by introduction of reagents and/or stimuli to obtain a composite material. Optionally, the composite material can be converted into an inorganic material with an additional step (c) comprising thermally treating the composite material. Also described are the resultant composite material and the optional resultant inorganic material.