Spinel LiMn2-xCoxO4 (0.00 <= x <= 0.20) powders with small and uniform particle size were successfully synthesized by microwave-induced combustion using lithium nitrate, manganese nitrate, cobalt nitrate, and urea as the starting materials. The LiMn2-xCoxO4 powders synthesized by microwave-induced combustion were investigated by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), thermogravimeter analyzer (TG), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The LiMn2-xCoxO4 samples were used as cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries, whose discharge capacity and electrochemical characteristics such as the cycling performance were also investigated. The results revealed that the LiMn2-xCoxO4 cell synthesized by microwave-induced combustion provided a high initial capacity and excellent reversibility compared to the material prepared by solid-state reaction method. (c) 2006 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.