Dodecylsulfate-intercalated alpha-hydroxides of nickel and cobalt delaminate to give colloidal dispersions in 1-butanol. When these colloidal dispersions are mixed in different proportions and evaporated, composites are obtained and these consist of a random stacking of layers from the two hydroxides. The surfactant anion of these composites can be exchanged with nitrate ions and the resultant nitrate-intercalated composites are very stable in alkaline medium and show a high reversible charge capacity. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.