TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The carbon material (C1) comprises bi-functional catalyst (at least 5000 ppm) and all other elements, excluding the bi-functional catalyst, having atomic numbers of 11-92, as measured by proton induced X-ray emission (less than 500 ppm). The carbon material (C1) comprises a specific surface area of greater than 500 (preferably greater than 2000) m2g as determined from N2 sorption derived DFT. The metal anode comprises carbon, lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, francium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium barium, radium, aluminum, and/or silicon. The carbon material comprises a different wetting characteristic on an inner surface of the pores compared to an outer surface of the pores. The inner surface of the pores has a higher or lower affinity for a solvent capable of solvating lithium ion than the outer surface of the pores. At least 50% of the total pore volume resides in pores having a pore size of 10-50 (preferably 15-30) nm as determined from N2 sorption derived DFT. At least 90% of the total pore volume resides in pores having a pore size of 2-50 (preferably 10-50) nm as determined from N2 sorption derived DFT.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - METALLURGY - Preferred Components: The bi-functional catalyst comprises iron, nickel, cobalt, manganese, copper, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, gold, hafnium, platinum, titanium, rhenium, tantalum, thallium, vanadium, niobium, scandium, chromium, gallium, zirconium, molybdenum and/or alloys (preferably nickel oxide, an iron oxide or a manganese oxide). The bi-functional catalyst is in the form of carbide (preferably tungsten carbide).    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The solvent comprises acetonitrile, propylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, ethylene carbonate, diethyl carbonate, ethylmethylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (EMIPF6), and/or 1,2-dimethyl-3-propyl imidazolium. EXAMPLE - A polymer gel was prepared by polymerization of resorcinol and formaldehyde (0.5:1) in water and acetic acid (75:25) and ammonium acetate. The reaction mixture was placed at elevated temperature (incubation at 45 degrees C for 6 hours followed by incubation at 85 degrees C for 24 hours) to create a polymer gel. Polymer gel particles were created from the polymer gel and passed through a 4750 micron mesh sieve. The sieved particles were frozen by immersion in liquid nitrogen, loaded into a lyophilization tray and lyophilized. The time to dry (as inferred from time for product to reach within 2 degrees C of shelf temperature) varied with product loading on the lyophilizer shelf. The surface area of the dried polymer gel was examined. The measured specific surface area using the Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) approach was in the range of 400-700 m2/g. Dried polymer gel prepared was pyrolyzed by passage through a rotary kiln at 850 degrees C with a nitrogen gas flow of 200 l/hour. The weight loss upon pyrolysis was 52%. The surface area of the pyrolyzed dried polymer gel was examined by nitrogen surface analysis using a surface area and porosity analyzer. The measured specific surface area using the standard BET approach was 600-700 m2/g. Pyrolyzed carbon material prepared was activated by multiple passes through a rotary kiln at 900 degrees C under a CO2 flow rate of 30 l/minute, resulting in a total weight loss of 45%. The surface area of the activated carbon was examined by nitrogen surface analysis using a surface area and porosity analyzer. The measured specific surface area using the BET approach was 1600-2000 m2/g.