TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The method further involves annealing the calcined powder at 400-700 degrees C in a controlled atmosphere to achieve the appropriate crystalline phase. The calcining step is conducted at an atmospheric pressure in the range of 1asterisk10-10 to 4 atmospheres. The method produce lithium iron phosphate/carbon (LiFePO4/C) composite powder having average primary particle size of less than 1 mu m. Preferred Components: The iron based compound is selected from iron oxides, iron hydroxides, iron acetates, iron phosphates, iron sulphates, iron oxalates or iron nitrates. The phosphate ion containing chemical precursor is selected from ammonium hydrogen phosphate, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, ammonium phosphate, orthophosphoric acid or lithium hydrogen phosphate. The lithium salt is selected from lithium nitrates, lithium hydroxides, lithium carbonates, lithium chlorides, lithium acetates or lithium halides.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The dispersion comprises a liquid solution including acetone. EXAMPLE - Lithium iron phosphate/carbon (LiFePO4/C) composite powder was prepared as follows: Iron-dextran powder (14.8907 g), which was dried in vacuum oven for overnight, was dispersed in 100 cc of acetone. Iron oxide (Fe3O4, particle size: 5 mu m) (18.33 g), Li2CO3 (12.289 g) and NH4H2PO4 (36.437 g) were added to the iron-dextran/acetone solution. The mixture was then transferred to a 16 oz plastic bottle, which contained milling media (2 mm zirconia balls; in 1:4 ratio) (333 g). The bottle was sealed in nitrogen by purging the gas for a couple of minutes before closing the bottle. The mixture was milled for 24 hours in a jar mill. After the milling step, the excess acetone was evaporated using a rotary evaporator. The dried solid was heated in nitrogen at a rate of 3 degrees C./minute to 525 degrees C for 8 hours. After crushing the powder in a mortle and pestle, the powder was recalcined at 525 degrees C for 8 hours. The calcined powder was subsequently heat treated in a nitrogen atmosphere at a rate of 3 degrees C/minute to 685 degrees C for 16 hours to obtain crystalline LiFePO4/C composite powder with an olivine type structure. The surface area of this powder was in the range of 13-14 m2/g.