Monodisperse　plum-like　crosslinked　poly(glycidyl　methacrylate-co-divinyl　benzene)　(PGMA-DVB)　microspheres　were　prepared　by　dispersion　polymerization　using　glycidyl　acrylate　as　monomer　and　divinyl　benzene　as　crosslinking　agent,　and　then　sulfonated　by　sulfonation　process　with　phosphorus　pentoxide　to　increase　the　grafting　ratio.　The　morphology　and　composition　of　microspheres　were　characterized　by　scanning　electron　microscope　with　energy　dispersive　analysis　of　X-rays　(SEM-EDX),　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy　(FT-IR),　thermogravimetric　analysis　(TGA),　and　BET　surface　area　analyses.　The　average　sizes　of　PGMA　microspheres　and　PGMA-DVB　microspheres　were　2.18　and　2.52　μm,　respectively.　The　effect　of　DVB　content　on　the　properties　of　microspheres　was　investigated　and　the　experimental　results　indicate　that　the　microspheres　prepared　with　DVB　content　have　crinkled　surface　with　large　specific　surface　area,　and　with　the　increase　of　the　DVB　content,　the　average　size　of　the　microspheres　become　larger　and　the　particle　size　distribution　become　wider.　The　as-prepared　sulfonated　PGMA-DVB　microspheres　were　used　to　remove　the　copper　(II)　ion　in　solution　and　the　maximum　adsorption　capacity　was　75.08　mg/g.　This　work　provides　an　effective　but　simple　method　for　a　controllable　preparation　of　polymer　microspheres　with　rough　surface　and　high　specific　surface　area,　and　it　could　be　a　new　kind　of　ion　exchange　resin　after　sulfonation.　©　2017　Wiley　Periodicals,　Inc.　J.　Appl.　Polym.　Sci.　2017,　134,　44994.　©　2017　Wiley　Periodicals,　Inc.