TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Composition: The catalyst composition is: capable of catalyzing hydrogen redox reactions, halogen/halide redox reactions, and hydrogen/trihalide redox reactions; and capable of catalyzing hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) and hydrogen oxidation reactions (HOR). The catalyst composition is: alloys of iridium, ruthenium, palladium, platinum and rhenium with one or more transition metals comprising chromium, molybdenum, tantalum, nickel, cobalt and iron; (platinum-rhenium)/M, (palladium-rhenium)/M, and (platinum-M)/iridium, where M is a precious metal or a transition metal; and platinum-rhenium, palladium-rhenium, platinum-iridium, palladium-iridium, platinum-chromium, platinum-ruthenium, platinum/iridium/ruthenium, platinum-rhenium-cobalt, platinum-rhenium-molybdenum, iridium/ruthenium, (platinum-rhenium)/iridium, (platinum-ruthenium)/iridium, (platinum-rhenium-molybdenum)/iridium, and (platinum-rhenium-cobalt)/iridium. The catalyst composition has a core-shell structure or a skin structure. Preferred Components: The core or particle comprises (i) platinum or a platinum alloy, where the platinum alloy includes one or more other precious metals consisting of ruthenium, rhenium, palladium and iridium, and optionally one or more-transition metals consisting of molybdenum, cobalt, chromium, nickel, tantalum and iron; or (ii) a platinum-free metal or a platinum-free alloy, where the platinum-free metal includes the precious metals, and the platinum-free alloy includes the two or more precious metals, and optionally the transition metals. The shell or skin comprises a sub-monolayer, atom islands, and/or one or more layers of the precious metal, where the platinum and iridium alloys include the precious metals, and optionally the transition metals. The precious metal is supported on carbon powder or ceramic powder. The regenerative fuel cell comprises a hydrogen/bromine regenerative fuel cell. The support comprises porous regions that define pore surfaces, where the pore surfaces have the catalyst dispersed on it such that the catalyst is non-contiguously dispersed throughout the porous regions, which are nanoporous, mesoporous and/or macroporous. The nanoporous comprises an average pore size of less than 2 nm, mesoporous comprises an average pore size of 2 nm to 50 mu m, and macroporous comprises an average pore size of greater than 50 nm. The anode and cathode are hydrophobic. The solid electrolyte membrane comprises a proton conducting membrane. EXAMPLE - XC-72 (RTM: Black carbon) (0.200 g) was added to 0.4M hydrochloric acid (100 ml). Platinum(IV) chloride (0.519 g) and sodium perrhenate (0.840 g) were added to the obtained slurry while stirring. The slurry was kept under stirring for 1 hour. Ammonium hydroxide (10 ml) was added to the slurry in small portions. The pH of the solution was 11-12. Sodium borohydride (0.524 g) were dissolved in water (10 ml) and added to the slurry rapidly and in one portion. The slurry was kept under stirring for 1 hour. The catalytic powder obtained was recovered by centrifugation, treated in 1M sulfuric acid at 80 degrees C for 8 hours, and washed with distilled water to afford the composition.