ABSTRACT A new type of hierarchal mesoporous SnO2@C@TiO2 nanochains (SCT) as anode material for the lithium-ion batteries was prepared via a facile hydrothermal and kinetics-controlled coating method. The TiO2 shell and carbon shell act as double-decker protection to buffer the huge volume change of SnO2 during the charged and discharged process. The resulting batteries equipped with this novel anode material showed excellent cycling stability. SCT-250 with 8nm TiO2 external shell was demonstrated for optimal electrochemical performances. A high initial capacity of 807mAhg−1 was achieved at the current density of 100mAg−1 and maintained 369mAhg−1 after 100 cycles. The outstanding stable cycling and well rate performance suggest that SnO2@C@TiO2 core-shell-shell nanochains have great potential to be applied as anode material for lithium-ion batteries.