The use of nanoparticles in composite electrodes for Li batteries may have considerable kinetic advantages due to the reduction of the diffusion length for lithium insertion in the active mass, and also because of the reduction of the overall charge transfer resistance of the electrodes. We report herein on the synthesis of various types of nanomaterials for rechargeable lithium batteries and their testing as active mass in anodes and cathodes. These include SnO, VOx, LixMnO2, and various types of carbon nanotubes. Sonochemistry was applied for the synthesis of part of the nanophases. The tools for this study included X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and standard electrochemical techniques (CV, SSCV, chronopotentiometry and impedance spectroscopy). (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V All rights reserved.