Amorphous carbon is coated on the surface of ultrasmall SnO2 nanoparticles which are anchored on graphene/TiO2 nanoscrolls via hydrothermal treatment, followed by annealing process. Transmission electron microscope images show that ultrasmall SnO2 nanoparticles are anchored on graphene/TiO2 nanoscrolls and further immobilized by the outermost amorphous carbon layer. The carbon encapsulated SnO2@ graphene/TiO2 nanocomposites deliver high reversible capacities around 1131, 793, 621 and 476 mAh g(-1) at the current densities of 100, 250, 500, and 1000 mA g(-1), respectively. It is found that SnO2 nanoparticles play a dominant role in the contributions of reversible capacity according to the cyclic voltammetry curves, voltage-capacity curves and dQ/dV vs. potential curves. The substrate of graphene/TiO2 nanoscrolls provides sufficient transport channels for lithium ions and high electron conductivity. While the outermost amorphous carbon layer prevents the peeling of SnO2 nanoparticles from the substrate, therefore making them desirable alternative anode materials for lithium ion batteries. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.