Nanostructured high surface area lithium cobalt oxide (LCO-CBL) cathode materials with uniform particle sizes are prepared by template assisted sol-gel synthesis using metal precursors and urea as chelating agent in cherry blossom leaf templates followed by calcination of the prepared material at 800 degrees C for 12 hrs. Structural and morphological characterization using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), field emission transmission electron microscopy (FE-TEM) and Raman spectroscopy of LCO-CBL shows the presence of rhombohedral (layered) structures quite similar to the pristine LCO, synthesized by simple sol-gel method. BET surface area measurements of the prepared cathode material revealed that the surface area increased about 79.7% for LCO-CBL, when compared to pristine LCO. Electrochemical characterization of the prepared LCO-CBL delivered an initial discharge capacity of the 166 mA h g(-1) with the capacity retention of 81% in comparison to the pristine LCO that exhibit initial discharge capacity of 127 mA h g(-1) and capacity retention of less than 72%. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.