Porous carbon supported tungsten carbide nanoreactors, two sizes (similar to 25 and 170 nm), were designed using economical petroleum pitch residue followed by tungsten (W) doping. X-ray diffractions showed both carbon tungsten composites (CTC-25 and CTC-170) contained tungsten subcarbide (W2C) and monocarbide (WC) as the major and minor crystalline phases, respectively. The present study provides a multiple perspective of carbon tungsten composites (CTCs) for methanol oxidation (as an electrode), adsorption (as an adsorbent) and degradation (as a solid catalyst) of methylene blue (MB). The operational electrodes were designed from both CTCs and used as a catalyst in an electrocatalysis process. The electrocatalysts exhibited high and stable catalytic performance (CTCE-25 > CTCE-170) in methanol electro-oxidation. The newly synthesized W-doped carbon nanoreactors were used successfully as an adsorbent for MB and a heterogeneous catalyst for MB oxidation. Ordered CTC-25 and CTC-170 exhibited dynamic MB adsorption within 15 min and complete oxidation of MB in 25-40 min. A synergetic effect between tungsten carbide and the carbon cage framework was noted. (C) 2015 Published by Elsevier B.V.