Using a vertical-axis attritor, samples of (SnxCo1-x)(60)C-40 for 0 <= x <= 0.7 have been prepared in increments of Delta x = 0.1. The effect of Sn content on the structure and performance of the Sn-Co-C nanocomposites was examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), (119)Sri Mossbauer effect spectroscopy and electrochemical methods. XRD shows a diffraction pattern characteristic of a nanostructured material having amorphous CoSn grains in a carbon matrix for x = 0.5. Broad Bragg peaks Of Co3C, SnCo3C0.7 and CoSn2 were observed for samples with 0 <= x <= 0.1. 0.1 <= x <= 0.4 and 0.5 < x <= 0.7, respectively. Sn-119 Mossbauer effect spectroscopy shows the presence of an amorphous CoSn component in samples with 0.3 <= x <= 0.6. Samples with a large amount of the SnCo3C0.7 phase showed small capacity for lithium. Therefore, SnCo3C0.7 is best described as an inactive phase. The sample with x = 0.7 shows the highest specific capacity (about 600 mAh/g) of all samples prepared but exhibited poor capacity retention after cycle 45. Excellent charge-discharge capacity retention, reasonable specific capacity (>450 mAh/g) along with stable differential capacities were observed for samples near x = 0.5. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.