TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The reaction vessel comprises quartz.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The carbon source is one or more of Norit SX Ultra (RTM: acid washed steam activated carbon), Ketjenblack (RTM: electroconductive carbon black) (preferably), pyrolyzed perylene tetracarboxylic anhydride (PTCDA), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), Black Pearls (RTM: engineered pigment black), Printex XE2 (RTM: carbon black), pyrrole black, graphitic powder, acetylene black, Vulcan XC72 (RTM: conductive carbon black pellet or powder), oxidized carbon supports, and metal carbides. The transitional metal precursor is a transitional metal macrocycle, and/or a transition metal salt. The transitional metal precursor comprises a cation from iron, cobalt, nickel, chromium, cerium, zinc, zirconium, molybdenum, and/or manganese; and an anion from acetate, chloride, nitrate, and/or sulfate. The transitional metal salt comprises cation(s) from iron, cobalt, nickel, chromium, cerium, zinc, zirconium, molybdenum, and/or manganese; or anion(s) from acetate, chloride, nitrate, and/or sulfate. The transitional metal precursor or transitional metal salt is preferably iron (II) acetate. The transitional metal macrocycle comprises cobalt phthalocyanine, iron phthalocyanine, cobalt tetraazannulene, iron tetramethoxy phenyl porphyrin chloride, tetracarboxylic cobalt, iron phthalocyanine, tetramethoxy phenyl porphyrin chloride, cobalt salen-N,N'-bissalicylidine, ethylenediaminocobalt, cobalt-anten-O-amino, ferrocene, benzaldehyde, ethylenediamino cobalt, and/or iron phenanthroline. The nominal amount of the metal precursor added to the carbon source to form the metal precursor loaded carbon substrate is 1-8 wt.% of the substrate. The nitrogen precursor is poly(quinoxaline), nitroaniline, 1,10-phenanthroline, phthalocyanine, pyridine, bipyridine, polyaniline, pyrrole, polyvinyl pyridine, 3-nitrophthalimide, p-phenylazophenol, 6-quionoline carboxylic acid, 6-nitrobenzimidazole, 5-amino 6-nitro quinoline, 2,3-naphthalocyanine, 4,4'-azoxydibenzoic acid, 2-amino 5-nitro pyrimidine, hematin, 4,4'-azo-bis(cyanovaleric acid), hematoporphyrin dihydrochloride, 4,4'-nitrophenyl azo catechol 4,6-dihydroxy pyrimidine, nitrophenyl, benzylamine, 1,6-phenylenediamine, tetracyanoquinodimethane, propylene diamine, ethylene diamine, urea, selenourea, thiourea, dimethylformamide, tetrahydrofuran, ammonia, acetonitrile, and/or polymers. The bipyridine is 2,2'-bipyridine. The nominal amount of nitrogen in the carbon-metal-nitrogen precursor is 1-15 wt.% of the carbon-metal-nitrogen precursor. The anode catalyst comprises a catalyst ink having transition metal(s) from platinum, ruthenium and/or palladium. Preferred Method: The step of mixing the carbon source with the transitional metal precursor includes stirring the carbon source with the transitional metal precursor in a solvent for up to 12 hours; and evaporating the solvent to form the carbon-metal substrate. The pyrolyzing step is performed at greater than or equal to 700, preferably greater than or equal to 900 degrees C. It includes pyrolyzing the carbon-metal-nitrogen precursor in the closed vessel pressurized up to 100 bar while pyrolyzing; and pyrolyzing the carbon-metal-nitrogen precursor using a spray pyrolysis apparatus. The method may further comprise thermal treating the nitrogen precursor contacted surface using one of high temperature arc discharge and laser ablation.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Component: The recast ionomer is poly(perfluorosulfonic acid).