TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The process further comprises: treating a carbon support material with an oxidizing agent to form an oxidized carbon support material, and treating the oxidized carbon support material with an acid to form the functionalized carbon support material; and treating a carbon support material with an oxidizing agent at neutral or acidic pH to form the functionalized carbon support material. The step of depositing comprises: precipitating the metal oxide, metal hydroxide, or metal carbonate from the metal solution onto the surface of the functionalized carbon support material; and reacting the metal solution with the functionalized carbon support material, where the first material comprises a chemically bonded metal oxide, metal hydroxide, or metal carbonate to the surface of the functionalized carbon support material. The sintering temperature is 25-600 degrees C. The step of depositing of the metal hydroxide or metal carbonate onto the surface of the functionalized carbon support material is conducted at a pH of 2-13, preferably 5-10. Preferred Components: The oxidizing agent comprises a permanganate, a peroxide, a halogen, an acid, a chlorite, a chlorate, a perchlorate, a hypochlorite, a perborate, ozone, nitrous oxide, silver oxide, osmium tetraoxide, Tollen's reagent, or a disulfide, preferably potassium permanganate, ozone, hydrogen peroxide, chlorine gas, sodium hypochlorite, sodium perborate, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid or 2,2'-dipyridyldisulfide. The metal solution comprises a metal salt comprising a metal nitrate, a metal halide, a metal carbonate or a metal sulfate, or an alkali metal transition metal oxide, preferably iron(III) nitrate, iron(II) nitrate, iron(III) sulfate, iron(II) sulfate, iron(III) chloride, iron(II) chloride, iron(III) bromide, iron(II) bromide, manganese(II) chloride, manganese(II) bromide, manganese sulfate, manganese(II) nitrate, cobalt(II) chloride, cobalt(II) bromide, cobalt(II) sulfate, cobalt(II) nitrate, titanium(IV) nitrate, titanium(III) nitrate, titanium(IV) chloride, titanium(III) chloride, zirconium tetrachloride, zirconium(III) chloride, zinc chloride, zinc bromide, platinum(IV) chloride, palladium(IV) chloride, platinum(IV) bromide, palladium(IV) bromide, tetraammineplatinum(II) nitrate, lead(IV) nitrate, platinum(IV) sulfate, palladium(II) sulfate, silver chloride, silver bromide, silver sulfate, silver nitrate, gold(I) chloride, gold(I) bromide, gold(III) sulfate, gold(III) nitrate, cerium trinitrate, cerium carbonate, lanthanum(III) nitrate, lanthanum carbonate or its hydrates. The first material comprises a nano-sized metal oxide, metal hydroxide, or metal carbonate on the surface of the functionalized carbon support material. The catalyst comprises platinum, palladium, iron, titanium, zirconium, zinc, silver, gold, nickel, cobalt, manganese, cerium or lanthanum. The catalyst comprises single-, binary- and ternary-metal oxide. The catalyst comprises iron(III) oxide, iron(II) oxide, cobalt ferrite, tricobalt tetroxide, titanium dioxide, copper(II) oxide, cuprous oxide, nickel(II) oxide, zirconium oxide, zinc oxide, manganese(IV) oxide, cerium dioxide, lanthanum dioxide, lanthanum cerium oxide, or a perovskite material of formula (A1B1O3).A1 = rare-earth metal ion; andB1 = transition metal ion.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The functionalized carbon support material comprises one or more functional groups comprising hydroxyl, carboxyl, carbonyl, quinone, alkyl halide, amide, alkene or ether functional groups. The carbon support material comprises a high surface area carbon material. EXAMPLE - Carbon black (10 g) was added to 1 M potassium permanganate solution (200 ml) and stirred for overnight. The material was then collected and washed with water, until the pH value of the washing water was 5-7. The material was then added to 4 M hydrochloride solution (100 ml), and stirred overnight at room temperature. Again, the material was collected by filtration and washed. The material was then dried overnight in an oven at 110 degrees C to provide the functionalized carbon support material. The carbon support material was thoroughly mixed with water. An iron(III) nitrate solution (12.5 ml), was then added to the carbon support material suspended in water. The mixture was then stirred for 4 hours. A solution of sodium carbonate or ammonium hydroxide in water (50 ml) was then added dropwise to the iron(III) nitrate-carbon mixture with vigorous stirring, until the pH of the mixed solution was 8-12. The resultant mixture was then stirred overnight to form the carbon supported catalyst material. After the reaction, the resultant material was collected and washed with water, until the pH of the washes was 6-7. The material was then subjected to sintering at a temperature of 400-450 degrees C in an environment of argon with 3.5% hydride (reducing atmosphere) to produce the carbon supported catalyst material.