A　stiff　zinc　oxide/carbon　foam　(ZnO/CF)　composite　as　a　desirable　adsorbent　for　heavy　metal　ions　was　innovatively　designed　and　fabricated　by　loading　ZnO　particles　into　a　carbon　foam　with　capsule-like　second-level　macropores.　The　features　of　the　resulting　composite　were　characterized　by　FESEM,　XRD,　BET,　FTIR,　and　XPS.　The　effects　of　adsorption　parameters　on　the　Pb(II),　Cr(III),　and　Cu(II)　ions　removal　were　studied　through　batch　experiments.　Results　show　that　the　ZnO/CF　composite　possesses　a　second-level　macroporous　structure　filled　ZnO　particles,　which　has　both　mesoporous　structure　and　Zn–O–C　bond　with　the　strongly　synergistic　effect.　And　meanwhile,　it　has　a　relatively　high　compression　strength　of　2.18　MPa　at　a　density　of　0.18　g　cm−3.　The　experimental　maximum　adsorption　capacities　for　Pb(II),　Cr(III),　and　Cu(II)　ions　reach　170.85　mg　g−1,　168.74　mg　g−1,　and　104.61　mg　g−1　with　relatively　high　partition　coefficients　of　5.803　mg　g−1　μM−1,　1.169　mg　g−1　μM−1,　and　0.648　mg　g−1　μM−1,　respectively.　The　experimental　data　are　in　accordance　with　Langmuir　isotherm　and　pseudo-second-order　kinetic　model.　Moreover,　the　composite　still　exhibits　a　good　adsorption　performance　even　after　five　cycles.　©　2020　Elsevier　Inc.