Three types of carbon were examined by inverse gas chromatography (IGC), at infinite and finite concentration conditions: graphite, carbon black and fullerene (C60) samples. Those samples differ by their structure and also by their surface properties (existence of defects, of polar surface groups...): surface free energy characteristics and surface energetic heterogeneity. IGC allows to determine in part these properties and evidences strong differences amongst the 3 carbons. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.