In　this　study,　activated　carbon　(AC)　was　prepared　using　corn　stalk　and　sewage　sludge　by　chemical　activation　method,　which　not　only　solved　the　sludge＇s　disposal　problem,　but　recycled　the　agricultural　waste　(corn　stalk).　The　effects　of　operating　conditions　(including　activation　reagent,　activation　temperature,　concentration　of　activation　reagent,　pyrolysis　time,　impregnation　ratio　and　corn　stalk　addition)　on　BET　surface　area　and　production　yield　of　AC　were　investigated.　The　powder　characters　(like　BET　surface　area,　pore-size　distribution　and　pore　volume)　were　presented.　Scanning　electron　microscope　(SEM)　and　Thermo　Gravimetric　and　Fourier　Transform　Infrared　Spectroscopy　(TG-FTIR)　analysis　were　also　used　for　the　characterization　of　produced　ACs.　Results　showed　that　the　pure-AC　with　a　higher　BET　surface　area　of　475.0　m(2)/g　could　be　obtained　when　the　concentration　of　activation　reagent　(ZnCl2)　was　4　M,　the　activation　temperature　was　600　degrees　C　and　the　pyrolysis　time　was　60　min.　If　25.0%　corn　stalk　was　added,　the　BET　surface　area　reached　to　769.0　m(2)/g.　Through　the　comparison　between　the　production　and　the　commercials,　it　can　be　seen　that　the　two　have　almost　equal　methylene　blue　dye　removal　efficiency　and　adsorption.　Besides,　the　sludge　based　AC　is　more　economic.　(C)　2016　The　Society　of　Powder　Technology　Japan.　Published　by　Elsevier　B.V.　and　The　Society　of　Powder　Technology　Japan.　All　rights　reserved.