A new protected anode for lithium-air batteries is designed using lithium foil and lithium-aluminium-germanium-phosphorus glass-ceramics (LAGP) with improved specific conductivity exceeding 3.1 . 10(-4) S cm(-1) at 80 degrees C and 1.4 . 10(-4) S cm(-1) at -20 degrees C. Prevention of anode or electrolyte degradation provided stability of the battery characteristics for at least 10 cycles. In particular, a lithium-air battery with the protected anode and an activated carbon cathode modified with alpha-MnO2 nanorod catalyst showed a specific capacity of about 3000 mAh g(-1). (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.