Nanorod-assembled spinel Li1 05Mn1 95O4 rods with a central tunnel along the rod-axis were synthesized using highly crystalline beta-MnO2 rods as self-templates The synthesized spinel Li1 05Mn1 95O4 is an assembly of several single crystal-like nanorods with an average diameter and length of 100 and 400 nm respectively which was determined by microstructural Rietveld refinement using the synchrotron powder XRD data Galvanostatic battery testing showed that central-tunneled and nanorod-assembled Li1 05Mn1 95O4 rods have a high charge storage capacity at high current densities in comparison with those of the simnel rods without a tunnel structure and commercial powders Moreover a capacity retention value of 81% was observed at the end of 100 cycles at a current of 250 mAh g(-1) (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved