AbstractActive carbon was oxidised in several oxidising solutions and measured for its surface acidity, specific surface area, X‐ray diffraction patterns, ESR spectra and gas adsorption isotherms. The favourable oxidising conditions for acidifying active carbon were speculated. Three kinds of steam activated coconut‐shell carbon were treated by solutions of nitric acid, alkaline permanganate, acidic permanganate with nitrate, acidic dichromate and of chlorate in fuming nitric acid. Graphite was similarly treated as a control. When the carbon was oxidised by all the above mentioned reagents except the acidic dichromate, its surface acidity increased unavoidably accompanied by the surface area reduction in almost a linear relation. However, the surface area reduction was extensive in the carbons oxidised by acidic dichromate. Neither the crystalline nor the amorphous carbon fraction was selectively oxidised by any of the oxidants to a significant extent when observed by X‐ray diffraction, probably because of the lower levels of crystallisation in the micelles. On the other hand, the change of free radicals was observed by most of the oxidations which indicated the conformational change of the carbon at molecular level. The improved adsorption of ammonia was observed on the oxidised carbon up to 20 times and that of sulphur dioxide and water vapour to a few times. The adsorption ofn‐hexane was negatively affected by the oxi