In this work, various carbon materials were studied as catalysts/microwave receptors for the CO2 reforming of the CH4 reaction. Carbon materials with a different textural development (metallurgical coke, activated carbons, re-activated carbon) were selected as catalysts in order to determine the role of porosity and pore size in dry reforming. Microporosity was found to be necessary for a good performance of the carbon catalysts. An activated carbon and an oxidized activated carbon were compared in order to evaluate the influence of oxygen surface groups on the catalytic activity of carbons for the dry reforming reaction. Oxidized carbons were found to be bad catalysts, especially under microwave heating. The importance of CO2 reactivity for carbon materials to be able to act as acceptable catalysts was also established. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.