We report a facile strategy to prepared CuO nanotube arrays directly grown on Cu plate through the electrodeposition method. The as-prepared CuO nanotubes show a quasi-cylinder nanostructure with internal diameters of ca. similar to 100 nm, external diameters of ca. similar to 120 nm, and average length of similar to 3 mu m. As an anode for lithium ion batteries, the electrochemical properties of the CuO nanotube arrays are investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge/discharge tests. Due to the unique nanotube nanostructure, the as-prepared CuO electrodes exhibit good rate performance (550 mAh g(-1) at 0.1 C and 464 mAh g(-1) at IC) and cycling performance (581 rnAh g(-1) at 0.1 C and 538 mAh g(-1) at 0.5 C). (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.