Nanosized lithiated iron oxides with 10 and 50 wt.% SiO2 were prepared by a sol-gel method using 1 M Fe(NO3)(3) center dot 9H(2)O and 1 M LiNO3 aqueous solutions in a stoichiometric ratio of 1:1 and colloidal silica. Dried xerogel was calcinated at 700 degrees C for 4 h in air. The X-ray data of samples synthesized using 10% and 50% SiO2 showed the presence of a mixture of two phases: alpha-LiFeO2 and Li1-x Fe5O8 (0 < x <= 0.1) for a sample containing 10% SiO2 and LiFe(SiO3)(2) and Fe2O3 (h) for a sample with 50% SiO2. The electrochemical behaviour of the compounds was investigated galvanostatically within the 0.01-3.0 V range at a current density of 0.80 mA cm(-2). The Li/Li xFeyOz (10%) center dot SiO2 cell showed a high initial reversible capacity of 1,080 mA h g(-1) and a capacity of 600 mA h g(-1) at the 30th cycle. Accounting these results is the presence of a SiO2 phase which stabilizes the structure of the active mass on cycling. The mean charge voltage (1.8 V) and the discharge voltage of 1.0 V versus Li+ reference electrode as well as the high reversible capacity indicate that this material is suitable for use as anode in lithium-ion batteries.