The exceptional electronic, magnetic, optical and catalytic properties demonstrated by many ceramic materials when confined to the nano-scale are well established. However, the synthesis of complex metal oxide nanowires and nanoparticles is notoriously problematic due to the difficulty of controlling homogeneity and achieving the correct stoichiometry. This thesis describes a new paradigm in solid-state synthesis. By organizing precursor metal cations within a gel of the structural biopolymer alginate. initial nucleation of preceramic crystalline phases is restricted to the nano-scale. On further calcination, the decomposition products of the biopolymer prevent sintering of these nanoparticles before the final crystallographic transformation to the ceramic product.