A microporous and mesoporous hyper-crosslinked polymeric adsorbent modified with phenoxy group HJ-01 was prepared and its adsorption properties for phenol were carefully investigated in this study. Its chemical structure and pore structure were characterized by chemical analysis, infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and N-2 adsorption and desorption experiments. The acidic and neutral solution pH was suitable for the adsorption of phenol onto HJ-01 resin in aqueous solution and NaCl posed a positive effect on the adsorption. The adsorption dynamic curves obeyed the pseudo-second-order rate equation and the adsorption isotherms can be characterized by a Freundlich isotherm model. The adsorption thermodynamic parameters can be quantitatively correlated with the fractional loading and its surface energetic heterogeneity can be described with a function of adsorption enthalpy. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.