Temperature dependent Co K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure is used to investigate local disorder in LiCoO2 nanoparticles. We find that the nanostructuring has direct influence on the bond-length characteristics. The results reveal a substantial decrease in the force constant of Co-O bonds (the Co-O bonds becoming more flexible), while that for the Co-Co bonds showing hardly any change (or increases slightly) in LiCoO2 nanoparticles with respect to the bulk. Therefore, both random disorder and Co-O bondlength flexibility should be the factors to limit the battery characteristics of the LiCoO2 knanoparticles. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.