Sn4P3　is　one　of　the　most　promising　anode　materials　for　sodium　ion　batteries　(SIBs)　owning　to　the　alloying　reaction　of　P　and　Sn　with　Na　to　form　Na3P　and　Na15Sn4,　which　is　beneficial　to　achieve　a　high　specific　capacity,　especially　for　the　high　volumetric　capacity　(6650　mAh　cm(-3)).　However,　the　high　capacities　generate　large　volume　changes,　which　pulverize　the　anode　material,　resulting　in　poor　cycling　stability.　This　restricts　its　practical　applications　for　SIBs.　Here,　the　dopamine-derived　N-doped　carbon　encapsulating　hollow　Sn4P3　microspheres　(hollow　Sn4P3@C)　composites　are　prepared　by　an　in-situ　self-polymerization　of　dopamine　on　the　surface　of　hollow　SnO2　microspheres　followed　by　a　carbonization　process　and　a　low　temperature　phosphorization　using　NaH2PO2　as　P　source.　The　results　of　the　structural　and　morphological　characterization　can　be　demonstrated　that　as-prepared　hollow　Sn4P3@C　composites　are　constructed　by　hollow　Sn4P3　microspheres　with　the　ultrathin　N-doped　carbon　coating.　The　as-prepared　samples　are　tested　as　the　anode　materials　for　SIBs.　Compared　with　bared　hollow　Sn4P3　microspheres,　hollow　Sn4P3@C　composites　exhibit　better　electrochemical　sodium　storage　performance.　As　a　result,　hollow　Sn4P3@C　composites　deliver　the　first　discharge　and　charge　specific　capacities　of　840　and　587　mAh　g(-1)　with　a　high　initial　coulombic　efficiency　of　70%　at　a　current　density　of　0.2　Ag-1.　Moreover,　hollow　Sn4P3@C　composites　display　superior　rate　capabilities　of　555,　438,　339,　239,　157　and　92　mAh　g(-1)　at　0.2　Ag-1,　0.5　Ag-1,　1　Ag-1,　2　Ag-1,　5　Ag-1　and　10　Ag-1,　respectively.　Meanwhile,　hollow　Sn4P3@C　composites　show　a　high　discharge　capacity　of　372　mAh　g(-1)　at　0.2　A　g(-1)　after　long　200　cycles.　A　detailed　electrochemical　kinetic　analysis　indicates　that　energy　storage　for　Na　thorn　in　Sn4P3　is　due　to　a　pseudocapacitive　mechanism.　The　good　electrochemical　sodium　storage　performance　of　as-prepared　hollow　Sn4P3@C　composites　may　be　attributed　to　the　introduction　of　N-doped　carbon　coating　and　unique　hollow　structure.　Therefore,　our　work　provides　a　new　structure　model　for　the　development　of　new　anode　materials　for　SIBs.　(C)　2018　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.