Modulating the Void Space of Nitrogen-Doped Hollow Mesoporous Carbon Spheres for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Hollow carbon materials have been extensively investigated as sulfur hosts for lithium-sulfur batteries. Herein, we report a designed synthesis of nitrogen-doped mesoporous hollow carbon spheres with tunable void spaces through an ethylenediamine-assisted cooperative self-assembly strategy between 3-aminophenol/formaldehyde resin and silica. Nitrogen-doped hollow mesoporous carbon spheres (NHMCS) with an optimised inside/outside radius ratio of 0.52 have induced improved electrochemical performances compared to other NHMCS, demonstrating a fine material design strategy for electrochemical energy storage systems with improved performance.