A carbon-metal phosphate composite comprises a carbon body having a glassy metal metaphosphate distributed therethrough and coating the surface thereof, wherein said metal metaphosphate is a product of the reaction between a metal salt and a nonionic organophosphorus ester. The composite is characterized by an improved resistance to oxidation at elevated temperatures and a decreased coefficient of friction as compared to carbon bodies. The composite is made by contacting a carbon body, having an external surface and an internal surface provided by an open network of connecting pores, with a solution comprising a nonionic organophosphorus ester and a metal salt to coat both the internal and external surface thereof, curing said coated carbon body to react said organophosphorus ester with said metal salt to provide a metal-organophosphorus salt, calcining said cured carbon body to decompose said metal-organophosphorus salt to provide a metal metaphosphate and recovering a carbon composite having said metal metaphosphate uniformly distributed therethrough and continuously coated on the surface thereof.