A high-efficiency carbon-based solid acid catalyst (S-SBC) is prepared by high-temperature calcination and p-aminobenzenesulfonic acid grafting using papermaking sludge with rich metal ions as raw materials. The composition, morphology, structure, acid load, specific pore size and specific surface area of the catalysts were investigated. The catalyst was used to catalyze the conversion of D-fructose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). The influence factors, such as reaction time, reaction temperature, catalyst mass fraction, solvent types and D-fructose concentration, were investigated and the poplar carbon catalyst (S-PBC) prepared by the same method was compared with S-SBC. The results show that the catalytic activity of S-SBC was better than that of S-PBC. S-SBC contains both Lewis acid sites formed by metal ions and Brönsted acid sites formed by -SO3H. The two acid sites have a synergistic effect in the process of catalyzing the dehydration of D-fructose to HMF. Using DMSO as the solvent, S-SBC catalyzed the reaction at 130 °C for 40 minutes, and the HMF yield was as high as 95.2%.After four consecutive uses, the catalytic activity did not decrease significantly.