活(huo)(huo)(huo)(huo)性(xing)(xing)炭(tan)(tan)，是(shi)(shi)黑色粉末狀(zhuang)或塊(kuai)狀(zhuang)、顆(ke)粒狀(zhuang)、蜂窩狀(zhuang)的(de)(de)(de)無定形碳(tan)(tan)，也有(you)排列規整的(de)(de)(de)晶體碳(tan)(tan)。活(huo)(huo)(huo)(huo)性(xing)(xing)炭(tan)(tan)中(zhong)(zhong)除碳(tan)(tan)元(yuan)(yuan)素(su)外，還(huan)包含兩類摻(chan)和(he)物：一類是(shi)(shi)化(hua)(hua)學(xue)結合的(de)(de)(de)元(yuan)(yuan)素(su)，主要(yao)是(shi)(shi)氧和(he)氫(qing)，這些元(yuan)(yuan)素(su)是(shi)(shi)由于未完全炭(tan)(tan)化(hua)(hua)而殘留在(zai)炭(tan)(tan)中(zhong)(zhong)，或者在(zai)活(huo)(huo)(huo)(huo)化(hua)(hua)過程中(zhong)(zhong)，外來的(de)(de)(de)非碳(tan)(tan)元(yuan)(yuan)素(su)與活(huo)(huo)(huo)(huo)性(xing)(xing)炭(tan)(tan)表面化(hua)(hua)學(xue)結合；另一類摻(chan)和(he)物是(shi)(shi)灰(hui)分，它是(shi)(shi)活(huo)(huo)(huo)(huo)性(xing)(xing)炭(tan)(tan)的(de)(de)(de)無機部分，灰(hui)分在(zai)活(huo)(huo)(huo)(huo)性(xing)(xing)碳(tan)(tan)中(zhong)(zhong)易造成二(er)次(ci)污染。活(huo)(huo)(huo)(huo)性(xing)(xing)炭(tan)(tan)由于具有(you)較強的(de)(de)(de)吸附性(xing)(xing)，廣泛應用于生產、生活(huo)(huo)(huo)(huo)中(zhong)(zhong)。

活(huo)(huo)性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)炭材(cai)(cai)料(liao)是經過加工(gong)(gong)處(chu)理(li)所得的無定(ding)形碳，具(ju)有(you)很大(da)的比表面積，對氣體、溶液中(zhong)的無機或(huo)有(you)機物質及膠體顆粒等(deng)都有(you)良(liang)(liang)好的吸(xi)(xi)附(fu)(fu)能力。活(huo)(huo)性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)炭材(cai)(cai)料(liao)主(zhu)要包括活(huo)(huo)性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)炭（Activated Carbon , A C ）和活(huo)(huo)性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)炭纖維（Activated Carbon Fibers, ACF ）等(deng)。活(huo)(huo)性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)炭材(cai)(cai)料(liao)作為一種性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)能優良(liang)(liang)的吸(xi)(xi)附(fu)(fu)劑，主(zhu)要是由于(yu)其具(ju)有(you)獨特(te)的吸(xi)(xi)附(fu)(fu)表面結構特(te)性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)和表面化(hua)學性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)能所決定(ding)的。活(huo)(huo)性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)炭材(cai)(cai)料(liao)的化(hua)學性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)質穩定(ding)，機械強度高，耐酸、耐堿、耐熱(re)，不溶于(yu)水與(yu)有(you)機溶劑，可以(yi)再生使(shi)用，已經廣泛地應用于(yu)化(hua)工(gong)(gong)、環保、食品加工(gong)(gong)、冶金、藥物精制、軍事(shi)化(hua)學防(fang)護等(deng)各個領域(yu) 。目前，改(gai)性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)活(huo)(huo)性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)炭材(cai)(cai)料(liao)被廣泛用于(yu)污(wu)水處(chu)理(li)、大(da)氣污(wu)染防(fang)治(zhi)等(deng)領域(yu)，在治(zhi)理(li)環境污(wu)染方面越(yue)來越(yue)顯示出其誘(you)人的美好前景(jing)。

活(huo)(huo)性(xing)炭(tan)80%-90%以上由碳元素(su)組(zu)成，這也是(shi)活(huo)(huo)性(xing)炭(tan)為疏水性(xing)吸附劑(ji)的(de)原因。除(chu)了碳元素(su)外，還包含有兩類摻和物：一(yi)類是(shi)化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)學結合的(de)元素(su)，主要是(shi)氧(yang)和氫，這些元素(su)是(shi)由于未完全炭(tan)化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)而殘(can)留在炭(tan)中(zhong)，或(huo)者(zhe)在活(huo)(huo)化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)過程中(zhong)，外來的(de)非(fei)碳元素(su)與活(huo)(huo)性(xing)炭(tan)表面(mian)化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)學結合，如用水蒸氣活(huo)(huo)化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)時，活(huo)(huo)性(xing)炭(tan)表面(mian)被氧(yang)化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)或(huo)水蒸氣氧(yang)化(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)；另(ling)一(yi)類摻和物是(shi)灰(hui)分，它是(shi)活(huo)(huo)性(xing)炭(tan)的(de)無機部(bu)分。

活性(xing)炭(tan)(tan)的(de)(de)主(zhu)要原料(liao)幾(ji)乎可以(yi)是所(suo)有(you)富含碳(tan)的(de)(de)有(you)機材(cai)料(liao)，如煤、木(mu)材(cai)、果殼(ke)、椰殼(ke)、核(he)桃殼(ke)、杏殼(ke)、棗殼(ke)等。這(zhe)些含碳(tan)材(cai)料(liao)在(zai)(zai)活化(hua)爐(lu)中(zhong)(zhong)，在(zai)(zai)高溫和(he)(he)一定壓力(li)下通過熱解作(zuo)用被轉(zhuan)換成活性(xing)炭(tan)(tan)。在(zai)(zai)此活化(hua)過程(cheng)(cheng)中(zhong)(zhong)，巨大(da)的(de)(de)表(biao)面積和(he)(he)復雜(za)的(de)(de)孔(kong)(kong)隙結構(gou)逐漸形成， 而所(suo)謂(wei)的(de)(de)吸(xi)(xi)附(fu)過程(cheng)(cheng)正是在(zai)(zai)這(zhe)些孔(kong)(kong)隙中(zhong)(zhong)和(he)(he)表(biao)面上進行的(de)(de)，活性(xing)炭(tan)(tan)中(zhong)(zhong)孔(kong)(kong)隙的(de)(de)大(da)小(xiao)對吸(xi)(xi)附(fu)質有(you)選(xuan)擇吸(xi)(xi)附(fu)的(de)(de)作(zuo)用，這(zhe)是由(you)于大(da)分子不能(neng)(neng)進入比(bi)它孔(kong)(kong)隙小(xiao)的(de)(de)活性(xing)炭(tan)(tan)孔(kong)(kong)徑內的(de)(de)緣故。活性(xing)炭(tan)(tan)是由(you)含炭(tan)(tan)為主(zhu)的(de)(de)物(wu)(wu)質作(zuo)原料(liao)，經高溫炭(tan)(tan)化(hua)和(he)(he)活化(hua)制得的(de)(de)疏(shu)水(shui)性(xing)吸(xi)(xi)附(fu)劑。活性(xing)炭(tan)(tan)含有(you)大(da)量微孔(kong)(kong)，具有(you)巨大(da)無比(bi)的(de)(de)表(biao)面積，能(neng)(neng)有(you)效地去除(chu)色度、臭味，可去除(chu)二級出水(shui)中(zhong)(zhong)大(da)多(duo)數有(you)機污染物(wu)(wu)和(he)(he)某(mou)(mou)些無機物(wu)(wu)，包(bao)含某(mou)(mou)些有(you)毒的(de)(de)重金(jin)屬。