The method of the present invention includes grafting a glycidyl alkylene
trialkoxy silane to a novolac phenolic resin in an organic solvent to
form a modified novolac phenolic resin; mixing a tetralkoxy silane, an
acid and water with the resulting organic solution containing the
modified novolac phenolic resin, wherein hydrolysis and condensation
reactions are carried out to form a --Si--O--Si-- bonding; adding a
curing agent for novolac phenolic resin to the resulting reaction
mixture; evaporating the organic solvent and acid from the resulting
mixture and heating the resulting mixture to form a novolac phenolic
resin/silica hybrid organic-inorganic nanocomposite.