TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Components: The hydrogen electrode further includes a gas diffusion layer (11) comprising carbon particles (20-60 wt.%) at least partially coated with a hydrophobic material (40-80 wt.%). The interface region comprises catalytic metallic particles having a diameter of less than 100 Angstrom and a porous support matrix for supporting the catalytic metallic particles. The volume fraction of the catalytic metallic particles in the interface region is greater than 30%. The catalytic metallic particles vary in proximity from 2-300 Angstrom in the interface region. The oxygen electrode comprises a gas diffusion layer comprising carbon particles (40-70 wt.%) at least partially coated with a hydrophobic material (30-60 wt.%). It includes an active material layer comprising a supported catalyst comprising a carrier matrix and a mixed-valence nanoclustered metal oxide supported by the carrier matrix. The carrier matrix is carbon-based. The supported catalyst further comprises a second carbon-based carrier matrix and an organometallic uniformly distributed about and supported by the second carrier matrix.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Materials: The porous support matrix comprises a metallic oxide and/or a metallic hydroxide containing transition metals, rare earth metals, aluminum, or tin.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - METALLURGY - Preferred Materials: The catalytic metallic particles comprise a transition metal or a rare earth metal. The particles may comprise nickel, cobalt, copper, iron, tin, zinc, or a nickel-cobalt-copper alloy. The bulk region comprises a rare earth metal alloy, a Misch metal alloy, a zirconium alloy, a titanium alloy, and/or a magnesium/nickel alloy. It may comprise nickel, titanium, magnesium, vanadium, copper, zinc, tin, or iron. The hydrogen storage alloy has the formula La10.5Ce4.3Pr0.5Nd1.4Ni64.5Co5.0Mn4.6Al6.0Cu 3.4 or La10.5Ce4.3Pr0.5Nd1.4Ni64.5Co5.0Mn4.6Al6.0Cu 5.4. The mixed-valence nanoclustered metal oxide includes transition metal(s). The supported catalyst further comprises an organometallic supported by the carrier matrix. The organometallic comprises a macrocycle including transition metal(s). The mixed-valence nanoclustered metal oxide comprises cobalt oxide, manganese oxide or cobalt-manganese oxide.