Abstract: A porous carbon is prepared by first carbonizing a solid fraction (obtained from pitch and/or coal by solvent extraction and preferably being one soluble in quinoline and insoluble in methanol, n-heptane and toluene) to produce a first porous carbon, absorbing into the first porous carbon liquid fraction (obtained from pitch and/or coal by solvent extraction and preferably being one insoluble in methanol and soluble in n-heptane, toluene and quinoline and/or one insoluble in methanol and n-heptane and soluble in toluene and quinoline), and carbonizing the first porous carbon containing adsorbed liquid fraction to give a second porous carbon having a specific surface area greater than that of the first porous carbon. The first porous carbon may, prior to absorption therein of the liquid fraction, be `activated` e.g. by heating in air, to increase its pore size as may the second porous carbon. The porous carbon obtained may be used as a catalyst support.