TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - CHEMICAL ENGINEERING - Preferred Method: The hydrogen has been produced with a selectivity of at least 60 or 85% and a productivity of at least 0.7 or 0.5-2 mmols/s.cm3.The contact time is 10-25 milliseconds at 650-900 degrees C. At least 95% of methane is converted to products with a hydrogen selectivity of at least 95%.At least 0.5 (preferably 0.5-2) mmol of hydrogen gas/s.cm2 of the reaction chamber volume is produced.The hydrocarbon conversion is at least 90% of equilibrium conversion.There is no change in carbon monoxide selectivity after 7 hours of continuous reaction.Preferred Property: The catalyst has a pore volume of 30-95%. At least 50% of the pore volume is 0.3-200 mum. It does not show reduced hydrocarbon conversion after 1000 hours of steam reforming at a steam to carbon ratio of 3, a contact time of 20 msec. 120 psig, and 850 degrees C.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The surface active sites comprise rhodium. The carbide is tungsten carbide and/or molybdenum carbide. The alumina layer comprises an alumina coating on a porous metal substrate. The spinel layer is disposed between a magnesia layer and the alumina layer. The metal is disposed on the magnesia layer. The spinel has a formula of magnesium aluminate (MgAl2O4). It comprises a zirconia support. The catalyst comprises surface active sites comprising rhodium.Preferred Property: The spinel layer has a surface area of 20-500 m2/g and a thickness of less than 40 mum.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The hydrocarbon comprises 1-10C alkane, preferably methane. It comprises synthetic fuel made by the Fischer-Tropsch process.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Component: The porous support comprises a metal foam or felt. EXAMPLE - Steam reforming of propane was conducted to a microchannel placed within a tube furnace. The width of the microchannel included two porous structures that covered opposite walls. The porous structure contained a catalyst of 13.8%-rhodium/6%-magnesium oxide/alumina on a metal felt of iron/chromium/aluminum/yttrium alloy. The powdered catalyst was ball milled overnight and slurry dip-coated on the felt. Prior to the dip-coating, the felt was heat treated in air at 900 degrees C for 2 hours. The coated catalyst was dried at 90 degrees C overnight and calcined at 350 degrees C for 4 hours. It was reduced in 10% hydrogen/nitrogen at 110 degrees C for 4 hours. The propane inlet flow rate and the water flow rate were set so that a steam to carbon ratio of approximately 3:1 was achieved. The total feed flow rates corresponds to contact times of 26-133 ms. Greater than 95% propane conversions and greater than 90% hydrogen selectivity were achieved at 550-700 degrees C and contact time of 26-133 ms.