A method of preparing an adhesive composite is provided where a expanded fluoropolymer having nodes and interconnected fibrils with a void volume formed from the node and interconnected fibril structure is at least partially filled with a paste formed from a thermoset or thermoplastic adhesive and a particulate inorganic filler, sufficient adhesive and filler are present to provide a composite containing between about 5 to about 40 volume percent expanded fluoropolymer; 5-85 volume percent inorganic filler; and 10-95 volume percent of adhesive and filler, the adhesive and filler being contained within the voids of the expanded fluoropolymer. In the composite, the ratio of the mean flow pore size of the expanded fluoropolymer to the largest particle size of the filler is at least about 2 and/or the ratio of the minimum pore size of the expanded fluoropolymer to the largest particle size of the filler is at least about 1.4 within the composite.