The yolk–shell-structured Fe 3 O 4 nanocomposite particles (Fe 3 O 4 @Void@C – N NPs) with Fe 3 O 4 as the yolk and N - doped carbon as the shell were prepared by using melamine formaldehyde resin as the N and C sources. When used as anode material for lithium ion battery, the yolk–shell structure could not only afford adequate void to accommodate the large volume change during charge/discharge process but also improve structural stability and electrical conductivity. The anode material demonstrated superior long-term and high-rate performance because of the novel structure and the N-doped carbon shell with mesopore. Thus, Fe 3 O 4 @Void@C–N NPs exhibited a high reversible capacity of 1530 mAh g −1 after 300 cycles at a current density of 500 mA g −1 , which were approximately 1.5 and 6 times higher than Fe 3 O 4 @C–N NPs and pure Fe 3 O 4 particles, respectively. Even at the higher current density of 2000 mA g −1 , the reversible capacity remained at 651 mAh g −1 after 500 cycles.