Fabrication and binding characterization of ion imprinted polymers for highly selective Co2+ ions in an aqueous medium

•A sorbent material was synthesized by ion imprinting technique for wastewater treatment purpose.•The imprinted polymer were produced by using two different functional monomers for cobalt ion as a target analyte.•The introduction to dipicolinic acid as a ligand anchored on the polymer network greatly improves the adsorption capacity.•Adsorption mechanisms were investigated through isotherm and kinetic study.•The polymer display a good imprinting effect by effectively removes cobalt ion in an aqueous solution.