TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Processes: Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are coated on graphite substrate. Palladium dendrite is prepared by coating Vulcan XC-72R (RTM: carbon black) or Ketjenblack (RTM: carbon black) on carbon paper. Carbon is coated as a thin layer on a graphite substrate and is electrochemically activated by potential cycling in an acidic electrolyte in which potential range may be - 0.2-1.1 V vs. silver/silver chloride (Ag/AgCl), counter electrode may be platinum wire for electrochemical activation process, scan rate may be 100 mV s-1, and carbon loading on graphite substrate may be 100-400 mu g cm-2. Constant potential technique is employed for deposition of palladium from 1, 1.5, and 2 mM palladium chloride (PdCl2) in 0.01 M perchloric acid (HClO4) (PdCl2, Aldrich) solution. Potential in range of 0.2-0.5 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) is chosen for deposition of palladium, and deposition is carried out for 1800 s. Potential cycling of greater than or equal to 5 cycles, preferably 5-25 cycles may be performed. The method involves using 1 mM PdCl2 as precursor, acidic electrolyte e.g. sulfuric acid, ionomer e.g. Nafion (RTM: sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene based fluoropolymer-copolymer), and solvent e.g. isopropanol. Dendritic nanostructures can be grown with customized morphology by controlling electrochemical activation, increasing metal deposition cycles, and increasing precursor concentration to achieve size/shape, growth, and strength on already grown palladium dendrites. Preferred Parameters: CNTs loading on graphite substrate may be 100 mu g cm-2. Palladium deposited at 0.2 V exhibits dendritic morphology. Metal deposition is 25 cycles to achieve three-dimensional dendrites with full coverage. Potential range for cyclic deposition process may be - 0.2-0.8 V vs. Ag/AgCl, and scan rate may be 20 mV s-1. Preferred Components: Carbon is Vulcan XC-72R, functionalized Vulcan XC-72R, CNT, functionalized CNT, activated carbon made from wood apple shell, or graphene. Substrate is graphite e.g. graphite electrode or carbon paper e.g. teflonized carbon.