The chromium(III) oxide (Cr2O3) nanoparticles embedded in the carbon sheets are fabricated by combining a sol-gel approach with an efficient carbonization process using glycine as carbon precursor. These Cr2O3/carbon nanocomposites serving as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been tested, exhibiting higher cycling (reversible capacity of 465.5 mA h g(-1) after 150 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g(-1)) and rate performances (the discharge capacities of 448.7, 287.2, and 144.8 mA h g(-1) at a current density of 200, 400, and 800 mA g(-1), respectively) than pure Cr2O3 (reversible capacity of 71.2 mA h g(-1) after 150 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g(-1) and the discharge capacities of 174.4, 60.5, 29.5, and 13.6 mA h g(-1) at a current density of 100, 200, 400, and 800 mA g(-1), respectively) due to the presence of carbon sheets, which efficiently buffer the volume change during the lithiation/delithiation and improve the electrical conductivity between Cr2O3 nanoparticles. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.