In this paper the preparation and electrochemical characterization of silicon nanowires for using as the anode of a lithium-ion battery are reported. The nanowires were synthesized by CVD and characterized by SEM. The nano-structured material was used as an electrode in a lithium cell and its electrochemical properties were investigated by galvanostatic charge discharge cycles at various charge rates. The electrode was coupled with a LiFePO4 cathode to fabricate a lithium-ion battery and the battery performance evaluated as a function of the discharge rate and cycle number. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.