Preparation of Hollow Carbon Spheres with Large Size and High Specific Surface Area from Phenolic Resin

Abstract

Millimeter size Hollow carbon spheres (HCSs) with high specific surface area were successfully prepared from resole-type phenolic resin by suspension polymerization method at ordinary pressure. During the polymerization process, large sums of small molecule gathered at the center and formed the hollow part, bigger spheres with a broad size distribution were then formed under stirring force and surface tension, the maximum external diameter of the obtained HCSs was 1.2mm and the hollow diameter was about 0.35mm. After activating at 800°C under a stream of steam, the specific surface area and total pore volume of the HCSs were reached as 1117m2/g and 0.61cm3/g.