Composite material and method for producing same

A method for producing a composite material comprising the steps of:

• at least filling a mold with at least one type of inorganic particles composed of a material selected from the group consisting of diamond, boron nitride, graphite, SiC, AlN, Si3N4, B4C, MgB2, Mg3N2, MgCl2, CaCl2), Mg2Si, carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, TiC, WC, and TaC;
• metal particles;
• and metal oxide particles;
• heating contents comprising the inorganic particles, the metal particles, and the metal oxide particles in the mold in reducing atmosphere to a temperature lower than a melting point of the metal particles to release oxygen from the metal oxide particles;
• discharging the oxygen released from the metal oxide particles to the outside of the mold;
• heating the contents in the mold to a temperature higher than the melting point of the metal particles to melt the metal particles;
• allowing the oxygen released from a molten product of the metal particles to be absorbed by the metal oxide particles;
• and
• cooling the mold and then collecting a composite material comprising the inorganic particles and a matrix metal which binds the inorganic particles.