TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Process: The starting materials are extracted from wooden raw materials, preferably bark, branches, needles and twigs. The process includes at least one step that is carried out at: an elevated temperature, preferably 150-400 degrees C; or an elevated pressure of greater than 1 bar. The hydrothermal treatment is hydrothermal carbonization and hydrothermal liquefaction. The hydrothermal treatment is hydrothermal carbonization and a temperature of 80-250 degrees C is used, preferably 180-230 degrees C. The process conditions are selected to enable conversion of the starting materials into carbon black or active carbon. The hydrothermal treatment is hydrothermal liquefaction and a temperature of greater than or equal to 150 degrees C is used, preferably 200-400 degrees C. The process is carried out during a time period of greater than or equal to 1 hour, preferably during 4-24 hours. The process includes: at least one step of grinding the reaction mixture to provide carbon particles having a further structured surface; at least one step of dissolving or dispersing the starting material, in water and/or an alcohol including ethanol, and optionally homogenizing the obtained dispersion or colloidal solution; or a step of ultrafiltration of the starting material to obtain a concentrated fraction having an increased carbon content. In the process a catalyst or a mixture of catalysts is added to the structural carbon products, where the catalyst(s) is/are metal nanoparticles, preferably gold nanoparticles. The carbon product includes nanoparticles of a catalyst or a mixture of catalysts on its surface. Preferred Components: The starting material is materials including components having high carbon contents including lignins, tannins and betulin, particularly from materials having high contents of lignin, hydrolysis lignin or lignan, preferably materials obtained from side-streams of the manufacture of paper, board, bio fuel or brewed products, including pulp obtained from a pulping factory, from chemical pulp, including black liquor, or hydrolysis lignin obtained from the manufacture of second generation bio fuels or lignan extracts from breweries. EXAMPLE - Pure lignin extracted from kraft black liquor by carbon dioxide precipitation was subjected to hydrothermal carbonization at a treatment temperature of 200 degrees C and a treatment pressure of 20 bar. The product mixture (having a carbon content of 80%) was subjected to dissolution with water, and filtration to obtain a pure dry carbon product.