Multicarboxylic hyperbranched polyglycerol modified SBA-15 for the adsorption of cationic dyes and copper ions from aqueous media

► Multicarboxylic HPG modified mesoporous SBA-15 was synthesized for the first time. ► The multicarboxylic HPG can endow SBA-15 with numerous negative charged carboxylic groups. ► The SBA/HPG-COOH showed much higher adsorption capacity and selectivity than SBA-15. ► The method to modification of SBA-15 can also be extended to other substrates.