A series of 0.4Li(2)MnO(3)center dot 0.6LiMO(2) (M = Ni1/3Co1/3Mn1/3 and Ni1/3Cr1/3Mn1/3) cathode materials are prepared by a co-precipitation method with subsequent quenching. Crystal structures of samples are investigated by X-ray diffraction and electron diffraction, which show a co-existence of rhombohedral and monoclinic structures indicating nanocomposite characteristics of the sample of 0.4Li(2)MnO(3)center dot 0.6Li Ni1/3Cr1/3Mn1/3O2. The average particle size distributions of the powders are analyzed to be an order 400 and 100 nm. The 0.4Li(2)MnO(3)center dot 0.6LiMO(2) (M=Ni1/3CO1/3Mn1/3 and Ni1/3Cr1/3Mn1/3) electrodes, which consist of a well balanced partial phases of rhombohedral and monoclinic can deliver a high reversible capacity of 220-230 mAh/g during an extended cycling. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.