The mechanism transition of lithium transport through a Li1-delta Mn2O4 composite electrode caused by the surface-modification and temperature variation was investigated using the galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and the potentiostatic current transient technique. From the analyses of the ac-impedance spectra, experimentally measured from unmodified Li1-delta Mn2O4 and surface-modified Li1-delta Mn2O4 with MgO composite electrodes, the internal cell resistance of the MgO-modified Li1-delta Mn2O4 electrode was determined to be much smaller in value than that of the unmodified electrode over the whole potential range. Moreover, from the analysis of the anodic current transients measured on the MgO-modified Li1-delta Mn2O4 electrode, it was found that the cell-impedance-controlled constraint at the electrode surface is changed to a diffusion-controlled constraint, which is characterised by a large potential step and simultaneously by a small amount of lithium transferred during lithium transport. This strongly suggests that the internal cell resistance plays a significant role in determining the cell-impedance-controlled lithium transport through the MgO-modified Li1-delta Mn2O4 electrode. Furthermore, from the temperature dependence of the internal cell resistance and diffusion resistance in the unmodified Li1-delta Mn2O4 composite electrode measured by GITT and EIS, it was concluded that which mechanism of lithium transport will be operative strongly depends on the diffusion resistance as well as on the internal cell resistance. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.