活(huo)(huo)性(xing)炭(tan)，是黑色粉末狀(zhuang)(zhuang)或(huo)塊(kuai)狀(zhuang)(zhuang)、顆(ke)粒狀(zhuang)(zhuang)、蜂窩(wo)狀(zhuang)(zhuang)的(de)(de)無(wu)定形碳，也有(you)(you)排列規整的(de)(de)晶體碳。活(huo)(huo)性(xing)炭(tan)中(zhong)(zhong)除碳元(yuan)素(su)外(wai)，還包含兩(liang)類摻(chan)和(he)物：一類是化學結合的(de)(de)元(yuan)素(su)，主要是氧和(he)氫(qing)，這(zhe)些(xie)元(yuan)素(su)是由于未完全炭(tan)化而殘留(liu)在炭(tan)中(zhong)(zhong)，或(huo)者(zhe)在活(huo)(huo)化過(guo)程中(zhong)(zhong)，外(wai)來的(de)(de)非(fei)碳元(yuan)素(su)與(yu)活(huo)(huo)性(xing)炭(tan)表面(mian)化學結合；另一類摻(chan)和(he)物是灰分，它是活(huo)(huo)性(xing)炭(tan)的(de)(de)無(wu)機(ji)部分，灰分在活(huo)(huo)性(xing)碳中(zhong)(zhong)易造成(cheng)二(er)次污染。活(huo)(huo)性(xing)炭(tan)由于具有(you)(you)較強的(de)(de)吸附性(xing)，廣泛(fan)應用(yong)于生產、生活(huo)(huo)中(zhong)(zhong)。

活性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)炭(tan)材料(liao)(liao)是經(jing)(jing)過加工處理(li)所得的無定(ding)形碳，具(ju)有很大(da)的比(bi)表(biao)面(mian)積，對氣體、溶(rong)液中的無機或有機物質(zhi)及膠(jiao)體顆粒等都有良好(hao)(hao)的吸(xi)附能(neng)力(li)。活性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)炭(tan)材料(liao)(liao)主(zhu)要包括活性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)炭(tan)（Activated Carbon , A C ）和(he)活性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)炭(tan)纖(xian)維（Activated Carbon Fibers, ACF ）等。活性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)炭(tan)材料(liao)(liao)作為一種(zhong)性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)能(neng)優良的吸(xi)附劑(ji)，主(zhu)要是由于其(qi)具(ju)有獨特的吸(xi)附表(biao)面(mian)結構特性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)和(he)表(biao)面(mian)化(hua)(hua)(hua)學(xue)性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)能(neng)所決定(ding)的。活性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)炭(tan)材料(liao)(liao)的化(hua)(hua)(hua)學(xue)性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)質(zhi)穩定(ding)，機械強度高，耐(nai)酸、耐(nai)堿、耐(nai)熱，不溶(rong)于水與有機溶(rong)劑(ji)，可以(yi)再生使(shi)用(yong)，已經(jing)(jing)廣泛地應用(yong)于化(hua)(hua)(hua)工、環(huan)保、食(shi)品加工、冶金、藥物精制、軍(jun)事化(hua)(hua)(hua)學(xue)防(fang)護等各個領域 。目(mu)前(qian)，改性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)活性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)炭(tan)材料(liao)(liao)被廣泛用(yong)于污(wu)水處理(li)、大(da)氣污(wu)染(ran)防(fang)治等領域，在治理(li)環(huan)境污(wu)染(ran)方面(mian)越來越顯示(shi)出其(qi)誘人的美好(hao)(hao)前(qian)景。

活(huo)性炭(tan)(tan)80%-90%以(yi)上由(you)碳(tan)元(yuan)(yuan)素組成，這也(ye)是活(huo)性炭(tan)(tan)為疏水(shui)性吸(xi)附劑的原(yuan)因(yin)。除了碳(tan)元(yuan)(yuan)素外，還(huan)包(bao)含有兩類(lei)摻和物：一類(lei)是化(hua)(hua)(hua)學(xue)結(jie)合的元(yuan)(yuan)素，主要(yao)是氧(yang)和氫(qing)，這些(xie)元(yuan)(yuan)素是由(you)于未完全炭(tan)(tan)化(hua)(hua)(hua)而殘留在(zai)炭(tan)(tan)中(zhong)，或者在(zai)活(huo)化(hua)(hua)(hua)過程中(zhong)，外來的非碳(tan)元(yuan)(yuan)素與活(huo)性炭(tan)(tan)表面化(hua)(hua)(hua)學(xue)結(jie)合，如用水(shui)蒸氣活(huo)化(hua)(hua)(hua)時(shi)，活(huo)性炭(tan)(tan)表面被氧(yang)化(hua)(hua)(hua)或水(shui)蒸氣氧(yang)化(hua)(hua)(hua)；另一類(lei)摻和物是灰(hui)分(fen)，它是活(huo)性炭(tan)(tan)的無機部分(fen)。

活(huo)(huo)(huo)(huo)性(xing)(xing)(xing)炭(tan)(tan)的(de)(de)主要原(yuan)料幾乎可以是(shi)所有(you)(you)(you)富含(han)碳的(de)(de)有(you)(you)(you)機(ji)材(cai)料，如煤、木(mu)材(cai)、果殼、椰殼、核桃殼、杏殼、棗(zao)殼等。這些(xie)(xie)含(han)碳材(cai)料在(zai)(zai)活(huo)(huo)(huo)(huo)化(hua)爐中，在(zai)(zai)高溫和一(yi)定壓力下通過熱解作(zuo)用(yong)被轉換成活(huo)(huo)(huo)(huo)性(xing)(xing)(xing)炭(tan)(tan)。在(zai)(zai)此活(huo)(huo)(huo)(huo)化(hua)過程中，巨大(da)(da)的(de)(de)表(biao)面(mian)(mian)積和復雜的(de)(de)孔(kong)隙結構(gou)逐漸(jian)形成， 而所謂的(de)(de)吸(xi)附(fu)過程正是(shi)在(zai)(zai)這些(xie)(xie)孔(kong)隙中和表(biao)面(mian)(mian)上進行的(de)(de)，活(huo)(huo)(huo)(huo)性(xing)(xing)(xing)炭(tan)(tan)中孔(kong)隙的(de)(de)大(da)(da)小對吸(xi)附(fu)質(zhi)有(you)(you)(you)選擇吸(xi)附(fu)的(de)(de)作(zuo)用(yong)，這是(shi)由(you)于大(da)(da)分子不(bu)能進入比它孔(kong)隙小的(de)(de)活(huo)(huo)(huo)(huo)性(xing)(xing)(xing)炭(tan)(tan)孔(kong)徑內(nei)的(de)(de)緣故。活(huo)(huo)(huo)(huo)性(xing)(xing)(xing)炭(tan)(tan)是(shi)由(you)含(han)炭(tan)(tan)為主的(de)(de)物(wu)質(zhi)作(zuo)原(yuan)料，經(jing)高溫炭(tan)(tan)化(hua)和活(huo)(huo)(huo)(huo)化(hua)制(zhi)得(de)的(de)(de)疏水(shui)性(xing)(xing)(xing)吸(xi)附(fu)劑。活(huo)(huo)(huo)(huo)性(xing)(xing)(xing)炭(tan)(tan)含(han)有(you)(you)(you)大(da)(da)量(liang)微(wei)孔(kong)，具有(you)(you)(you)巨大(da)(da)無比的(de)(de)表(biao)面(mian)(mian)積，能有(you)(you)(you)效地去除色度、臭味(wei)，可去除二(er)級出水(shui)中大(da)(da)多數(shu)有(you)(you)(you)機(ji)污染物(wu)和某些(xie)(xie)無機(ji)物(wu)，包含(han)某些(xie)(xie)有(you)(you)(you)毒(du)的(de)(de)重(zhong)金屬。