The reduction of carbon dioxide emissions from flue gases can be achieved using post-combustion capture technologies such as adsorption. In this paper, we report experimental data for the fixed-bed adsorption of carbon dioxide and nitrogen on activated carbon. The breakthrough curves were obtained at different temperatures - 301-306, 323, 373 and 423 K - using CO2/N-2 mixtures. XPS and FUR measurements were used to identify chemical changes in the adsorbent after CO2 adsorption. A model based on the Linear Driving Force (LDF) approximation for the mass transfer was used, considering the energy and momentum balances, to satisfactorily reproduce the breakthrough curves. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier B.V.