TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The catalytic component comprises at least one member selected from platinum, palladium, nickel, iron, osmium, ruthenium, cobalt, gold, silver, copper, antimony, arsenic, molybdenum, tin, tungsten and/or their alloys containing at least one of the elements. The catalytic material comprises several magnetic particles or several magnetizable particles. The magnetic particles possesses a magnetic field of sufficient strength to alter the rate of and/or the distribution of products resulting from a chemical reaction involving the particle or occurring within the vicinity of the particle. The magnetizable particles have been or are exposed to a magnetic field of sufficient strength for time to align the magnetic moments of a portion of atoms at least some of the particles, and further where the portion of atoms aligned within each of the particles is sufficient to alter the rate of and or the distribution of products resulting from a chemical reaction involving the particle or occurring within the vicinity of the particle. The alignment is maintained upon removal of the magnetic field. The particle comprises a permanent magnetic material, paramagnetic material, superparamagnetic material, ferromagnetic material, ferrimagnetic material, superconducting material or anti-ferromagnetic material. The particles comprising at least one element selected from samarium, neodymium, iron, boron, lithium, manganese, nickel, cobalt and zinc. The particles has a diameter of 0.1 - 50 microns. The particles has at least one coating layer on at least a portion of the surface of the particle. The coating layer comprises at least one inert material, and further comprises at least one modifying material (m1). The inert material comprises a silane and/or silicon dioxide. The catalytic material further comprises at least one ion conducting material and at least one modifying material (m2). (m1), (m2) and the modifying process affects at least one property selected from hydrophilicity, hydrophobicity, organophobicity, organophilicity, surface charge, dielectric constant, porosity, gas exclusion, gas permeability, deliquescence, wetting, density, electron conductivity and ionic conductivity. The magnetic particle comprises at least one material selected from samarium cobalt, neodynium-iron-boron, iron and iron oxide, cobalt, misch metal, or ceramic magnets comprising barium ferrite and/or strontium ferrite.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The oxygen is supplied as air. The reformate fuel stream contains air (0.5 - 2.5, preferably 1 - 2, more preferably 1 - 1.5, especially 1 %). The reformate fuel stream is produced from a hydrocarbon or gasified biomass. The catalytic material is present in an amount of 0.1 - 0.8 (preferably 0.4) mg/cm2. The particles are present in an amount of 0.1 - 0.8 (preferably 0.4) mg/cm2. Preferred Component: The hydrocarbon is selected from methanol, ethanol, propane or methane. The biomass is selected from coal, charcoal, wood, corn husks and/or coconut husks.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - The ion conducting material comprises a perfluorinated sulfonic acid polymer. The polymer electrolyte membrane comprises at least one per fluorinated sulfonic acid polymer. The polymer electrolyte membrane has been subjected to at least one modifying process. The maximum thickness of the polymer electrolyte membrane is less than 20 (preferably less than 7, more preferably 2, especially 1) mils. (m1) comprises at least one polymer which renders the particle chemically inert and/or mechanically stable. (m2) comprises at least one polyalkylene or its derivative. The polyalkylene is polyethylene. The derivatives of polyalkylene is a partially or fully fluorinated polyalkylene. (m1) Is selected from homopolymers formed from the monomers selected from styrene, styrene derivatives, 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, iso-decyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate, methyl acrylate, vinyl acetate, ethylene glycol, ethylene, 1,3-dienes, vinyl halides or vinyl esters; or copolymers formed from at least one Monomer A or at least one Monomer B. The Monomer A is selected from styrene, methyl acrylate, iso-decyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate or 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylates. The Monomer B is selected from 4-styrenesulfonic acid or ethylene glycol dimethacrylate.