Within the pores of a porous thermostructural composite material, there is form an aerogel or xerogel made up of a precursor for a refractory material, the precursor is transformed by pyrolysis to obtain an aerogel or xerogel of refractory material, and then it is silicided by being impregnated with a molten silicon type phase. The aerogel or xerogel is formed by impregnating the composite material with a composition containing at least one organic, organometalloid, or organometallic compound in solution, followed by in situ gelling. The method is applicable to improving the tribological properties or the thermal conductivity of C/C or C/SiC composite material parts, or to making such parts leakproof.