Simple synthesis of hollow carbon spheres from glucose

Hollow carbon spheres were prepared by the reaction between glucose and Zn particles at 550 °C. Scanning and transmission electron microscopies reveal that most of the spheres are about 1–2 µm in diameter, similar to the sizes of the Zn particle. The shells of the spheres are comprised of numerous hollow nanospheres with the diameter of 10–100 nm. The specific surface area of the spheres is 207 m2/g. The Zn particles act as both the reactant and...