Well-crystallized LiNi0.7Co0.3O2 was prepared, simply and economically, by the acetate self-mixing method. This method gave spontaneous and homogeneous mixing of molten reactants, as well as steady intermediate phase translation without using any artificial mixing procedures. This led to good battery performance, initial discharge capacity of 172.8 mA h/g and discharge capacity retention of 98.7% over 20 cycles. Spectroscopic evidence for spontaneous and homogeneous mixing is provided. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.