Abstract: Using residual carbon powder from sawdust gasification as raw material, the formed activated carbon was obtained by adding activating agent(calcium hypochlorite), binders(carboxymethyl cellulose sodium, asphalt, phenolic resin), and then carrying out carbonization and water vapor activation process. The properties of activated carbon were influenced by many factors, such as the types of the binders, the adding amount of binders and activation agent, and the conditions of the water vapor activation. The aforementioned factors were investigated amply. It was found that the formed activated carbon with good properties could be prepared by using asphalt and phenolic resin as binder alone or in combination. The addition of activation agent could improve the adsorption performance of activated carbon, but reduce the strength and yield. Adding activating agent(0.3 g), the activated carbons were prepared by water vapor activation(850℃, 45 min, 1.5 mL/min) via three molding modes:AC1 with asphalt(addition amount 25 g) as binder, and AC2 with phenolic resin(addition amount 6 g) as binder, AC3 with the mixture of asphalt(addition amount 10 g) and phenolic resin(addition amount 3 g) as binder. The maximal iodine adsorption value was over 900 mg/g, the maximal methylene blue adsorption value reached 180 mg/g, the maximal strength was 99%, and the maximal yield was 32.9%. The pore size of activated carbon was mainly microporous, and the maximal micropore content was over 83%. The maximal specific surface area and total pore volume were up to 697.04 m²/g and 0.38 cm³/g, respectively.