Active carbons were prepared by activating carbonized products (obtained by pyrolysis of olive wood in nitrogen at 1073 K) and olive wood itself under a flow of carbon dioxide at 1048 K. The effect on the development of surface area and porosity of such variables as activation time, heating rate, previous carbonization time, and starting material (either carbonized samples or wood) were followed by adsorption of nitrogen at 77 K. Changes of meso- and macroporosity during the activation process were monitored by mercury porosimetry. Surface area (BET values) varies from 469 up to 854 m2.g–1. A development of micro, meso and macroporosity takes place depending on activation time.
