Coupled synthesis and encapsulation in one-pot method for fabricating size-tunable hollow carbon spheres containing encapsulated Ag microparticles

Size-tunable hollow carbon spheres containing encapsulated Ag microparticles (HCSA) were fabricated using a one-pot method for the coupled synthesis and encapsulation. These spheres were formed by the catalyzed dehydration of glucose under hydrothermal conditions, using the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as a sacrificial template to tune the cavity size of the hollow carbon spheres. In this one-pot synthesis, glucose was used as the carbonaceous source and served as the reducing agent that reacted with Ag ions. The HCSA exhibited tunable cavity sizes (1.2–2.4 μm), dimensions (0.2–2.7 μm), and morphologies (hollow spherical, bowl-like, ruptured, or solid spherical). The obtained products were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, and nitrogen adsorption/desorption analysis. On the basis of the results obtained in this study, we suggest that the SDS concentration is the crucial factor in the fabrication of size-tunable HCSA. In addition, we propose a possible mechanism for the formation of the HCSA.