In this study, a simple route for the synthesis of hollow mesoporous carbon materials (HMCMs) with adjustable shell thicknesses via a one-pot strategy for direct carbonization and etching was developed. HMCMs were examined as a carrier matrix for the delivery of tetracycline hydrochloride (TH). The thickness of the mesoporous shell could be tuned between 7 and 90 nm by changing the amount of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and composition of the polymer precursor. The obtained materials were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and N-2 adsorption-desorption isotherms. The optimum conditions for the synthesis of the HMCM spheres were systematically investigated. The synthesized materials possessed specific surface areas of 710-954 m(2) g(-1) and average pore diameters of 3.8 nm. The performance of the HMCMs towards the delivery of TH was tested in vitro in an aqueous bath at 37 degrees C; the release of TH from these drug delivery systems was monitored by UV-Vis spectroscopy. Results demonstrated that by adjusting the mesoporous carbon shell thickness of the HMCMs, high TH adsorption capacities (722-850 mg g(-1)) and tunable higher drug releases ranging from 15 to 25 h and sustained lower drug releases over the subsequent similar to 30 h were achieved.