rate capability. [ 12,13 ] In contrast, spinel cathodes exhibit a high-rate capability due to the effi cient 3D diffusion of lithium ions, nevertheless the discharge capacity is low, only about 130 mA h g −1 . [ 14,15 ] Then, a highly interesting, but also challenging question appears: can the rate capability be much improved by introducing spinel component into the layered oxides? Previous investigations have shown that the cubic close-packed oxygen arrays in both the layered and spinel oxides are structurally compatible. [ 16 ] Therefore, it is possible to integrate the Li-rich layered and spinel oxides into a composite, which might show both a high capacity and an excellent rate capability.Much effort has been devoted to the preparation of composites that intergrate both layered Li-rich oxides and spinel oxides (i.e., spinel-layered materials), which have led to several high-energy and power electrodes, [17][18][19][20] such as the outstanding cathode materials of spinel/ layered heterostructure, [ 17 ] [ 18 ] Unfortunately, most synthetic methods still suffer from several shortcomings. For instance, it is diffi cult to obtain a homogeneous mixture of layered and spinel oxides. The preparation procedures are always tedious, which may introduce uncertain factors in reproducing the electrochemical performance. On the other hand, metal-ion impurities, such as K + , were inevitably introduced into the fi nal products. In particular, the synthetic methods ever reported cannot allow the control over the morphology to give microspheres of spinellayered materials, due to the multiple transition metal ions and phases involved. As a consequence, spherical spinel-layered cathode materials are highly necessary, which expect to impose a signifi cant impact on electrochemical performance (especially for rate capability) of Li-ions batteries.Here, we report on the preparation of a spinel-layered Lirich Li-Mn-Co-O microsphere using a solvothermal-precursor method. This method is an extension of ther oxalate-precursor method, [ 21 ] which has been successfully applied to prepare Lirich layered composite cathodes. This new method has the advantages of the oxalate-precursor method where lithium ions and transition metal ions are precipitated simultaneously in the absence of alkali metal ions to form uniform precursors, and provides the possibility for regulation of spherical morphology and dimension. Based on previous results, [ 16,22 ] we Li-rich layered materials are considered to be the promising low-cost cathodes for lithium-ion batteries but they suffer from poor rate capability despite of efforts toward surface coating or foreign dopings. Here, spinel-layered Li-rich Li-Mn-Co-O microspheres are reported as a new high-rate cathode material for Li-ion batteries. The synthetic procedure is relatively simple, involving the formation of uniform carbonate precursor under solvothermal conditions and its subsequent transformation to an assembled microsphere that integrates a spinel-like component with a layered component by a heat...