Synthesis of Hollow Carbon Microspheres with Mesoporous Shell and Vacant Core Structure and Their Electrochemical Properties

In this study, highly monodispersed porous carbon microcapsules with a hollow core were synthesized using polystyrene (PS) beads as a hard template. The surface of PS was first modified with polyvinylpyrollidone (PVP) for the easy attachment of inorganic silica sol. After coating the surface of PVP modified PS microspheres with SBA-16 sol, the carbon microcapsules with a hollow macroporous core were fabricated through reverse replication method by filling carbon sources in the mesopores of silica mold. The hollow carbons having a mesoporous shell structure and narrow particle size distribution could be obtained after the carbonization of carbon source and the dissolution of silica mold by HF solution. The mesoporous characteristics and electrochemical properties of hollow carbon microcapsules were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, N2 adsorption/desorption analysis and cyclic voltammetry. They showed the high electric conductivity and capability for use as efficient electro-materials such as a supercapacitor.