Novel　nitrogen-containing　hollow　carbon　nanospheres　were　facilely　prepared　by　direct　pyrolysis　of　self-assembled　poly(aniline-co-pyrrole)　hollow　microspheres.　The　uniform　copolymer　hollow　microspheres　with　average　outer　diameter　and　shell　of　746　nm　and　169　nm,　respectively,　were　formed　in　ammonia　solution　via　a　one-step　unstirred　polymerization.　And　their　hollow　carbon　nanospheres　were　prepared　by　direct　pyrolysis　of　the　copolymer　spheres.　It　was　found　that　pyrolysis　products　of　the　copolymer　spheres　were　made　up　of　hollow　carbon　nanospheres　(235　nm　in　average　outer　diameter)　with　nitrogen　content　of　7.18　wt%　at　the　pyrolysis　temperature　of　1000°C,　the　Brunauer-Emmett-Teller　surface　area　and　total　pore　volume　of　the　obtained　hollow　carbon　nanospheres　were　up　to　610　m2　g-1　and　0.312　cm3　g　-1,　respectively.　©　2011　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.