Abstract: Coconut shell carbide was used as raw material to prepare high specific surface area activated carbon activated by KOH. The relationships between the adsorption ability and the factor of soaking time, activating temperature and impregnation ratio (KOH/Raw material) were also investigated. From single factor experiments, the suitable preparation coditions are as follows, i.e., impregnation ratio of 5 and reaction at 800 ℃ for 60 min.The basic properties of prepared product are as follows, the surface area is 3 360 m²/g, the total pole volume of pores is 1.798 cm³/g, the average pore width is 2.140 nm.The iodine number and methylene blue value of the activated carbon are 2 809 mg/g and 675 mg/g, respectively.

Key words: coconut shell, high specific surface area activated carbon, KOH method