A　novel　ultrathin-wall　graphitic　mesoporous　carbon　(UGMC)　with　graphene　sheets　was　fabricated　by　direct　pyrolysis　of　the　mixture　of　sucrose　and　aluminum　sulfate.　Pyrolysis　behavior　of　the　mixture　was　studied　using　TG　and　XRD.　The　structures　of　the　UGMC　prepared　were　analyzed　by　FESEM,　TEM,　Raman,　BET　and　XPS,　and　its　adsorption　performances　for　Congo　red　(CR),　malachite　green　(MG)　and　methylene　blue　(MB)　were　investigated　by　bath　adsorption　experiments.　Results　show　that　the　development　of　UGMC　undergoes　a　series　of　procedures　including　the　formation　of　Al2O3　and　Al3C4　and　the　decomposition　of　Al3C4　during　pyrolysis　of　the　mixture.　Meanwhile,　high　temperature　environment　leads　to　the　generation　of　graphene　sheets　from　UGMC.　The　unique　structure　of　the　UGMC　containing　graphene　sheets　endows　it　with　excellent　adsorption　performance.　The　experimental　maximum　adsorptive　capacities　of　the　UGMC　for　CR,　MG　and　MB　are　738.9　mg　g−1,　713.4　mg　g−1　and　522.2　mg　g−1,　respectively,　and　the　experimental　data　fit　well　with　the　standard　Freundlich　isotherm　and　the　pseudo-second-order　model.　Moreover,　the　UGMC　exhibits　good　recyclability　even　after　five　regeneration　cycles.　©　2020　Elsevier　B.V.