One-step fabrication of bifunctional self-assembled oligopeptides anchored magnetic carbon nanoparticles and their application in copper (II) ions removal from aqueous solutions.

•A novel bifunctional coating using self-assembled oligopeptide CK-VI was developed.•One-step biomolecule assembly was developed to fabricate thiol-functionalized NPs.•The Fe3O4@C-SH exhibited excellent sorption efficiency for Cu (II) ions in solutions.•This work provides a universal route to fabricate tailor-made functional materials.