An advanced anode material for lithium ion batteries, amorphous red phosphorous/active carbon composite (P/AC) with a high P content of 60.0 (wt.%), is prepared via a vaporization adsorption method. In the composite, amorphous red phosphorous is mainly loaded into the micropores of the AC matrix. The P/AC composite delivers an excellent capacity up to about 1550 mAh g (1) that is calculated on the basis of composite weight. The high capacity means that approximate 3 electrons are involved in the electrode reaction. At the same time, the P/AC composite exhibits a good cyclability with a capacity retention ratio of 83.6% after 50 cycles. Furthermore, the coulombic efficiency maintains above 97.5% in all the cycles except for the first cycle (76.1%). During the initial cycle, the lithiated and delithiated P/AC anode are further investigated. The formation of SEI film in the initial active process is confirmed. The high and stable electrochemical performance of P/AC composite benefits from the nanoscale of active mass P particles and its homogeneous dispersion onto the conductive AC substrate. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.