In this study, carbon-encapsulated Li4Ti5O12 particles are prepared by a facile carbon formation strategy. Under the thermal hydrolysis of acetate in Ar atmosphere, Li4Ti5O12 particles are uniformly coated by amorphous carbon layer with the thickness of 4-6 nm. The electrochemical properties of Li4Ti5O12@C are characterized as high rate anode material for lithium ion batteries. Electrochemical results show that Li4Ti5O12@C can respectively deliver the reversible lithium storage capacities of 155.0, 134.7 and 60.3 mA h g(-1) at 20, 600 and 1500 mA g(-1) in a narrow working window of 1.0-2.0 V. Cycled in a broad potential range of 0.5-2.0 V. Li4Ti5O12@C remains the reversible charge capacities of 158.2, 134.5 and 114.7 mA h g(-1) at 20, 600 and 1500 mA g(-1) with capacity retentions of 91.5%, 97.5% and 100%, respectively. Even working between 0.0 and 2.0 V. Li4Ti5O12@C can still display outstanding electrochemical properties with the reversible capacities of 220.2, 200.6 and 205.1 mA h g(-1) at 20, 600 and 1500 mA g(-1). (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.