Hollow carbon spheres (HCS) manifest specific merit in achieving large interior void space, high permeability, wide contactable area, and strong stacking ability with negligible aggregation and have attracted attention due to their high supercapacitor activity. As the key factor affecting supercapacitor performance, the surface chemical properties, shell thickness, roughness, and pore volumes of HCS are the focus of research in this field. Herein, the surface chemical properties and structures of HCS are simultaneously adjusted by a feasible and simple process of in situ activation during assembly of resin and potassium chloride (KCl). This strategy involves KCl participating in resin polymerization and the superior performance of potassium species on activating carbon. The surface N/O content, thickness, defects, and roughness degree of HCS can be controlled by adjusting the dosage of KCl. Electrochemical tests show that optimized HCS has suitable roughness, high surface area, and abundant surface N/O functional groups, which endow it with excellent electrochemical capacitance properties, showing its high potential in supercapacitors.
Keywords: hollow carbon spheres; in situ activation; roughness; supercapacitor; surface chemical properties.