The present invention is a multilayered composite comprising porous metal oxide particles that are covalently bonded by way of inorganic ether groups to one or more sites of a first polyhydroxyl-functionalized polymer. This first polymer is in turn covalently bonded by way of inorganic ether groups to one or more sites of a second polyhydroxyl-functionalized polymer. The multilayered composites can be prepared by contacting porous inorganic-oxide particles with a sufficient amount of OH-reactive crosslinking agent to form metal oxide particles imbibed with the crosslinking agent, and then contacting the inorganic-oxide particles with a solution of polyhydroxyl-functionalized polymer under reactive conditions.