Activated carbon fiber (ACF) was surface modified by nitric acid to improve the adsorption efficiency of the propylamine. The adsorption amount of propylamine of the modified ACF increased $17\%$ more than that of as-received ACF. Desorption of propylamine from the propylamine saturated ACF was occurred in two steps, the first step started arround $50^{circ}C$ showing the desorption of physically adsorbed propylamine and the second step started at $200^{circ}C$ showing the decomposition of chemically adsorbed propylamine. Total desorption amount of propylamine from the modified ACF was larger than that of the as-received ACF because of increased functional groups. The oxygen and nitrogen contents on the modified ACF increased by 1.5 and 3 times compared with the as-received ACF. A part of propylamine adsorbed on ACF formed pyridine-like or pyrrolic structures with 2 carbons exposed on the surface of the ACF. It was found that propylamine reacted with strong or weak acidic functional groups such as -COOH or -OH existed on ACF surface.