Monoclinic phase FePO4 center dot 2H(2)O nanoplates are synthesized very easily in a waterbath and are lithiated to LiFePO4/C nanoparticles by a simple rheological phase method. The thickness of the nanoplates can be tuned simply by changing the concentrations of the reactants. The LiFePO4/C nanoparticles lithiated from the thin FePO4 center dot 2H(2)O nanoplates, with the sizes about 50 nm and the carbon coating layer at the surface 1-2 nm, show excellent high-rate performance and long-term cyclability as the cathode for lithium ion batteries, delivering discharge capacities of more than 150, 120, 110, 100, and 75 mAh g(-1) at rates of 5 C, 10 C, 15 C, 20 C and 30 C. respectively. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.