TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Process: The component mixture is mixed at 20-25 degrees C and heated to at least 40 degrees C, preferably at least 60 degrees C. The cross-linking agent is added as a continuous feed or a multi-step batch addition in the mixing step. The method further comprises: adding at least one alcohol; and shining a light into the reactor to monitor the completion of the reaction by measuring the refractive index of the materials. In the method of making sol-gel, the at least one heat treatment comprises: heating the precursor solution to 60-99 degrees C for 24-48 hours; maintaining the precursor solution at 10-40 degrees C for 1-30 days; and heating the precursor/pregelled solution to 60-99 degrees C for 24-96 hours to form a mesoporous sol-gel. In the method of making the nano-engineered carbon material, the at least one additional treatment comprises grinding, freeze drying, cryogenic drying, supercritical drying, vacuum drying, evaporation drying and/or pyrolysis. Preferred Components: The resorcinol compound is of formula (I), benzene-1,3-diol, phenol and/or its derivatives. The catalyst is acetic acid. The cross-linking agent is formaldehyde (preferred), paraformaldehyde, trioxane, methyl Formula (RTM: Formaldehyde in alcohol solutions), acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde, crotonaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde, benzaldehyde, furfural, acetone and/or methyl ethyl ketone. The molar ratio of the resorcinol compound to the cross-linking agent is 1:1-1:3. The at least one alcohol is methanol.Ra-Rd = alkenyl (vinyl or allyl), methacrylate or acrylate (all optionally substituted), sibyl ether, OH, halide, nitro, benzo, carboxy, acyl (formyl), alkyl-carbonyl (e.g. acetyl) or arylcarbonyl (e.g. benzoyl)), alkyl (CH3, C2H5, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl or decyl), siloxanyl, aryl (phenyl or naphthyl), aralkyl (benzyl), alkaryl (alkylphenyls) or H.Provided that at least two of R-a, Rc and Rd is H. EXAMPLE - Water (802.2 g) was added to a reaction kettle. Then, glacial acetic acid (59.2 g) was added under stirring. Next, resorcinol (544.8 g) was added to a reaction vessel under stirring. The addition of resorcinol caused an endothermic decrease in temperature. At this point, the refractive index was measured by a refractometer. The reaction mixture was heated slowly to reach 50 degrees C. With the same heating rate, the reaction temperature was maintained at 50 degrees C by cooling water passing through internal cooling coils. The temperature of water going into and coming out of coils was recorded by a computer connected to a temperature probe. The respective temperatures were recorded as inlet and outlet temperatures. At 50 degrees C, the addition of formaldehyde (593.8 g) started at a rate of 10 ml/minute. During the addition of formaldehyde, the temperature of the reaction was recorded every minute. In order to get complete exotherm information the reaction was allowed to react until gelation. At this point, the refractive index was measured by a refractometer. The reaction mixture was maintained at 50 degrees C and formaldehyde was added by a programmed-addition method to obtain the precursor solution.