Lignosulfanate-assistant hydrothermal method for synthesis of titanate nanotubes with improved adsorption capacity for metal ions

•Lignosulfonate modified titanate tubes were synthesized by a simple method.•Lignosulfonate increased the axial ratio and layer spacing of TNTs.•The products exhibited high adsorption capacity for heavy metal removal.

Lignosulfonate modified titanate tubes (L-TNTs) were synthesized by a hydrothermal method. The influences of lignosulfonate on the structure and adsorption capacity of the product were investigated. The characterization results indicate that L-TNTs are layered titanates (NaxH2−xTi3O7·nH2O) with mesoporous structure, and the doped lignosulfonate increases the axial ratio and layer spacing of TNTs. The maximal adsorption capacities of L-TNTs are 740, 148 and 223 mg g−1 for Pb2+, Cu2+ and Cd2+, respectively, which are higher than those of TNTs. The results demonstrate that the lignosulfanate-assistant hydrothermal method is promising for improving the adsorption capacity of nanomaterial toward heavy metal ions.