In polymer precusor based avtivated carbon, the structure of stating material os likly to have profound effect on the surface properites of end produrct. To investigate tjis aspect phenolic resins of different types were prepared using phenol,mecrsol and formaldehyde as reactants and Et₃N and NH₄OH as catalyst. Out of these resins two resol resin PERl and CFRl were used as raw material for the preparation of activated carbon by both chemical and activared methodes.