Sorption of Pb2+ on mercapto functionalized sepiolite

► The ΔH0 and ΔS0 of the reaction were 33.637kJmol−1 and 202.697Jmol−1K−1. ► Freundlich isotherm and second order kinetics could fit sorption processes well. ► The sorption mechanisms were chemical adsorption and physical adsorption. ► The samples were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, 29Si and 13C CP/MAS NMR and XPS. Mercapto functionalized sepiolite (MSEP) was prepared by nanotexturization method and applied for the sorption of Pb2+ from aqueous solution. These samples before and after sorption were characterized through XRD, FT-IR, 29Si and 13C CP/MAS NMR and XPS. The sorption behaviors including thermodynamic and kinetic parameters, effect factors and mechanisms of Pb2+ sorption on MSEP were studied. The maximum sorption amounts of 97mgg−1. The parameters ΔH0 and ΔS0 were 33.637kJmol−1 and 202.697Jmol−1K−1, respectively. Freundlich isotherm was proved to describe the sorption data better than other isotherms and pseudo second order kinetic model could fit the sorption kinetic processes well. The pH influenced the sorption of Pb2+ on MSEP significantly but background electrolytes have relative weak effect. Based on hard and soft acids and bases theory and the results analyzed from XPS, the sorption mechanisms could be explained as primarily chemical adsorption and secondary physical adsorption.