A simple and versatile method for preparation of hovel manganese 2,5-thiophene dicarboxylate microspheres is developed via a surfactant-assisted solvo-thermal route, which are found to be a new high-energy anode material for lithium-ion batteries. It shows better cycling performance and higher discharge capacity than its counterpart of irregular shapes. A reversible capacity was achieved as high as 645.7 mAh g(-1), after 250 cycles at a current density of 400 mA g(-1). Furthermore, the coulombic efficiency can be close to 100% even after 650 charge-discharge cycles at a current density of 500 mA g(-1). (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.