Through a hydrothermal method, Zn-Al LDHs has been successfully in situ growth on graphene. The obtained LDHs/G composite was characterized by XRD, SEM and TEM. Compared with pure LDHs and LDHs-RGO compound, the as-prepared LDHs/G composite was used as modified anode active material for Zn-Ni battery followed by electrochemical performance test such as cycling performance, cyclic voltammograms (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and charge/discharge performance. The discharge specific capacity of LDHs/G electrode remains at about 356 mAh g (1) in the whole process of 800 cycle with the retention ratio of 94.9%. Besides, the charge/discharge test at the 50th cycle shows the electrode with LDHs/G composite presents a lower charge and higher discharge plateau than that of pure LDHs and LDHs-RGO compounds. And the CV test after 50th cycle demonstrates that the use of the LDHs/G composite as the zinc anode material has a less negative reduction peak potential and a more negative oxidation peak with a peak potential difference of 0.201 V. And the EIS measurement shows the electrochemical reaction of LDHs/G electrode is the most difficult to occur with the ohmic resistance of its electrode slightly reduced by 1.239 Omega cm(2) and the charge transfer resistance reduced by 4.311 Omega cm(2). All the results indicate a great improvement in electrochemical performance of the modified electrode that LDHs/G as an anode material for Zn-Ni secondary battery. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.