Spherical hollow particles were prepared from solid alumina powders using DC arc thermal plasma, and then spray coating was performed with the as-prepared particles. Operating variables for the hollow particle preparation process were additional plasma gas, input power, and carrier gas flow rate. The spherical hollow alumina particles were produced in the case of using additive gas of H-2 or N-2, while alumina surface was hardly molten in the pure argon thermal plasma. In addition, the hollow particles were well produced in high power and low carrier gas conditions due to high melting point of alumina. Hollow structure was confirmed by focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy analysis. Morphology and size distribution of the prepared particles that were examined by field emission-scanning electron microscopy and phase composition of the particles was characterized by X-ray diffraction. In the spray coating process, the as-prepared hollow particles showed higher deposition rate. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.