TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRONICS - Preferred Method: The particles of metal, multi metal, alloy, and/or metal oxide are incorporated into the carbon material by solution chemistry, electrodeposition, chemical vapor deposition with or without energetic augmentation, or by thermal decomposition of a metal salt placed in solution with the carbon and an energetic material such as urea or glycerine, such that the size of each metallic particle species may be controlled as desired and range from small angstrom scale clusters of several atoms, having diameters of 5-150 Angstrom, to larger nanometer scale accumulations of metallic atoms comprised of hundreds to thousands of atoms and having diameters from 1 to 150 nanometers.The pyrolysis is completed at 800-1200degreesC under an inert atmosphere for 15-60 minutes.The material is purified and activated by refluxing in a solution of nitric acid for less than or equal to 12 hours.The pyrolyzed carbon is activated by a known chemical or physical methodology.Preferred Parameters: The diameter of the longitudinally aligned tubes is 0.5-0 microns.The thickness of the graphitic tube walls is not greater than 3 microns.The pores within the walls of the tubes have an opening diameter smaller than 50 nm and lead to internal channels which branch successively, and where each internal branch may have successively smaller diameter.The surface area by BET methodology using Nitrogen gas is greater than 250 m2/g.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The particles of metal, multi metal, and/or alloy, metal oxide are associated with the tube walls, pores and/or channels described, and the graphite sheets, which comprise the walls, channels and pores.The metal, multi metal, alloy, and/or metal-oxide particles include elements such as Group IA, IIA, IIIA, IVB, VB, VIB, VIIB, VIII, IB, or IIB.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The particles of metal, multi metal, and/or alloy, metal oxide are associated with the tube walls, pores and/or channels described, and the graphite sheets, which comprise the walls, channels and pores.The metal, multi metal, alloy, and/or metal-oxide particles include elements such as Group IA, IIA, IIIA, IVB, VB, VIB, VIIB, VIII, IB, or IIB.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Materials: The precursor material is derived from plant material such as plant stalks and contains plant xylem and/or phloem tissue.The plant precursor material is sugar cane bagasse, corn stalks, and/or rice straw that has been dried and ground to the desired particle size.The precursor material is treated with potassium or sodium hydroxide prior to pyrolysis.