Magnetic　hollow　carbon　microspheres　(MHCMs)　were　fabricated　with　a　dual　alternative　constitution　of　cavities　and　porous　carbon　shells　by　a　combination　of　microwave-assistant　polycondensation　and　surfactant-free　emulsion　polymerization.　The　MHCM　was　characterized　by　transmission　electron　microscopy,　X-ray　diffraction,　thermogravimetric　analysis,　vibrating　sample　magnetometry　and　N2　adsorption/desorption　isotherms.　The　MHCMs　possessed　features　of　uniform　morphologies,　high　surface　area　(680　m2　g-1),　large　pore　volume　(0.61　cm3　g-1)　and　magnetic　responsiveness.　The　MHCMs　were　used　as　an　adsorbent　to　remove　rhodamine　B　(RB).　The　removal　efficiency　of　RB　reached　99.5%　and　the　adsorption　capacity　of　the　MHCMs　reached　as　high　as　300　mg　g-1.　The　adsorption　process　followed　the　Langmuir　isotherm　very　well.　The　enthalpy　change　was　28.35　kJ　mol-1.　The　negative　free　energy　change　indicated　that　the　adsorption　process　was　feasible　and　spontaneous.　The　positive　entropy　change　showed　that　there　was　an　increase　in　disorder　in　the　adsorption　system.　The　removal　process　was　endothermic　and　interaction　controlled.　The　adsorption　kinetics　fitted　well　with　the　pseudo-second-order　kinetics　model.　The　removal　efficiency　of　RB　remained　over　90%　after　six　consecutive　cycles,　which　demonstrated　the　high　adsorption　performance　and　favourable　reusability　of　the　MHCMs.　©　2017　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry.