Carbon foams from phenolic resins of the resol and novolac type were synthesized and characterized, based on different experimental parameters and characterization techniques; with the objective of studying the synthesis process of carbon foams, their physicochemical characteristics, their CO2 adsorption capacities, and the influence that the different parameters applied in the synthesis process may have on the characteristics and adsorption capacity of each foam. The parameters applied in the synthesis of the carbon foams included the use of three different catalysts (sodium hydroxide, ammonia and oxalic acid), two foaming agents (n – pentane and dichloromethane) and two carbonization temperatures (600 and 800 °C).); and the characterization techniques used were CO2 adsorption isotherms, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy with X-ray scattering spectroscopy (SEM). – EDS). It is obtained that the highest adsorption capacities were obtained using sodium hydroxide as catalyst, and a carbonization temperature of 600 °C, this is reflected in the theoretical model of adsorption isotherms being the one that best describes the process of CO2 adsorption from carbon foams the Tóth model; with a maximum adsorption capacity (Qmax) higher than 50 cm3/g, up to 103 cm3/g.