In this paper, the carbon-doped boron nitride nanoplate (C-BNNP) was prepared by pyrolyzing the precursor under N-2 and served as an excellent adsorbent for removal of Rhodamine B (RhB). The structure and composition of C-BNNP were characterized and its adsorption behavior for RhB was investigated. Compared with boron nitride nanoplate (BNNP) which was synthesized under NH3, C-BNNP displayed an enhancement of the adsorption capacity for RhB (833 mg/g). The adsorption activity was comprehensibly studied by kinetics, isotherm and thermodynamics. The adsorption kinetics followed pseudo second-order model. The equilibrium adsorption data agreed well with the Langmuir isotherm. And the thermodynamics indicated that the adsorption process was a spontaneous, exothermic and physisorption process. In addition, the density functional theory was proposed that doping carbon in the BNNP decreased the chemical hardness of the adsorbent and enhanced the adsorption capacity of C-BNNP for RhB. (C) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.