A porous layered composite of Li 2 MnO 3 and LiMn 1/3 Ni 1/3 Fe 1/3 O 2 (composition: Li 1.2 Mn 0.53 Ni 0.13 Fe 0.13 O 2 ) is prepared by reverse microemulsion method employing tri-block co-polymer, F068 as a soft-polymer template. The Co-free composite is studied as a cathode material for Li-ion battery. Several samples are prepared by heating the precursor in the temperature range between 500 and 900 • C. The N 2 adsorption/desorption studies reveal that the product samples possess mesoporosity with broadly distributed pores around 15-50 nm diameter. Pore volume and surface area decrease by increasing the temperature of preparation. Charge-discharge, cycling and rate capability are investigated. The discharge capacity of the sample prepared at 900 • C is about 170 mAh g −1 at a specific current of 25 mA g −1 with a good cycling stability. A value of 140 mAh g −1 is obtained at the end of 50 charge-discharge cycles. Discharge capacity of 91 mAh g −1 is obtained at a specific current of 206 mA g −1 . A high rate capacity of the composite is attributed to its porous nature. Research activities on lithium-ion batteries have increased in the recent past because of their attractive energy density. [1][2][3] In an extended range of applications, they are successful in small sizes at present and anticipated to be useful in large sizes for applications such as electric vehicles. Although the energy density of the present Li-ion batteries is the greatest among rechargeable batteries, future requirements such as electric vehicle applications require still greater energy density. The next generation Li-ion batteries, thus, need novel electrode materials which can provide greater discharge capacity than the present materials. Compounds with a high atomic ratio of extractable lithium to transition metal are expected to provide high discharge capacity values. Li 2 MnO 3 belongs to this category of materials.4 Li 2 MnO 3 is a layered oxide similar to LiCoO 2 and its formula can also be presented as Li (Li 0.33 was reported at a specific current of 30 mA g −1 in the potential range between 1.5 and 4.8 V. 33,34 In addition to the high discharge capacity, an electrode material needs to possess high rate capability for the purpose of fast charge or/and discharge. Porous materials are expected to possess high rate capability because the electrolyte can creep into particles and enhance the contact area. 35 As a result, the material can withstand an enhanced specific current during charge-discharge cycling. Furthermore, the electrode material can tolerate volume expansion and contraction that may occur during charge-discharge processes. To the best of authors' knowledge, there are only few reports available on the synthesis of porous composites of Li 2 MnO 3 . A porous composite of Li 2 MnO 3 with nanoplate morphology was prepared via colloidal crystal template of poly(methyl methacrylate) beads. The porous composite was better in electrochemical properties in relation to the nonporous composite. 36,37 Investigations on high capa...