TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Parameters: The Dv,50 of the polymer particles in gel form is greater than or equal to 2 mm, or greater than or equal to 4 mm. The monomer component has a pH of less than 7 during polymerization. The pyrolyzed particles have a total pore volume greater than 0.5 cm3/g and a gerameter (GM) greater than or equal to 21. The polymer particles in gel form have a total pore volume of between about 0.01 cm3/g and 1.5 cm3/g. The activated particles have a total pore volume greater than 0.5 cm3/g and GM is greater than or equal to 24; or the activated particles have a total pore volume greater than 1 cm3/g and GM is from 9 to 21. Preferred Conditions: The carrier fluid has a boiling point of 81 degrees C or greater at a pressure of 100 kPa. The reactant mixture is at a temperature of about 30 degrees C or more when the monomer component polymerizes to form the polymer particles in gel form. Preferred Components: The carrier fluid comprises one or more vegetable oils, one or more mineral oils, one or more chlorinated hydrocarbons, one or more paraffinic oils, or its mixture. The monomer component is an aqueous mixture comprising one or more catalysts, where the catalyst comprises ammonium carbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium acetate, ammonium hydroxide, or its mixture; or the monomer component is an aqueous mixture comprising one or more catalysts, and where one or more catalysts comprise a basic salt, an organic acid, or its mixture. The organic acid is acetic acid, formic acid, propionic acid, maleic acid, oxalic acid, uric acid, lactic acid, or its mixture. Reactant mixture further comprises a nitrogen-containing electrochemical modifier. Preferred Process: Making polymer particles in gel form via emulsion or suspension process further involves agitating the reaction mixture; and heating the reactant mixture to a temperature of from about 30 degrees C to about 150 degrees C. One or more phenolic compounds and one or more crosslinking compounds are prepolymerized with one another to form a prepolymer prior to making the polymer particles in gel form via the emulsion or suspension process. The method also involves heating the polymer particles in gel form in an inert atmosphere at a temperature of from about 500 degrees C to about 2400 degrees C to produce pyrolyzed particles. It further involves separating the polymer particles from the carrier fluid to provide separated polymer particles in gel form. One or more phenolic compounds and one or more crosslinking compounds are prepolymerized with one another to form a liquid prepolymer having a refractive index ranging from about 1.1000 to about 1.7000 prior to making the polymer particles in gel form via the emulsion or suspension process. The method also involves drying the polymer particles in gel form without any size reduction of the polymer particles in gel form. It further involves heating the polymer particles in gel form in an inert atmosphere at temperatures ranging from 500 degrees C to 2400 degrees C to produce pyrolyzed particles; and activating the pyrolyzed particles in an atmosphere comprising carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, steam, oxygen, or its mixture at a temperature of from 500 degrees C to 1300 degrees C to produce activated particles. Preferred Composition: The reaction mixture further comprises 0.01% to 20% of a non-ionic surfactant having a molecular weight of from about 100 Daltons to about 2000 Daltons. The carbon material has less than 200 ppm of all atoms having a molecular weight between 11 and 92 as measured by photon induced x-ray emissions. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.