The method of synthesizing carbon nanorods (CNRs) and carbon nanowires (CNWs) involves carbonization of a resorcinol-formaldehyde cross-linked precursor gel. The first stage is the synthesis of resorcinol-formaldehyde cross-linked precursor gel. The second stage is carbonization of the gel by heating the gel in a furnace under the flow of nitrogen gas at 500° C. for three hours. The third stage involves activating the carbon by heating the carbon gel in a furnace under the flow of carbon dioxide gas for one hour at 700° C. to form the CNRs and CNWs.