Nitrogen-　and　oxygen-containing　carbon　micro/nanospheres　(CPAN　and　CPNA)　were　prepared　by　direct　pyrolysis　of　lignosulfonate/　polyaniline　and　lignosulfonate/poly(N-ethylaniline)　composite　spheres　at　the　temperature　of　700　°C.　The　two　type　lignin-based　composite　spheres　were　prepared　by　an　in　situ　polymerization　of　aniline　and　N-ethylaniline　in　the　presence　of　lignosulfonate,　respectively.　The　carbon　spheres　were　investigated　by　thermal　gravimetric　analysis,　scanning　electron　microscopy,　transmission　electron　microscopy,　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy,　X-ray　diffraction,　and　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　and　were　used　as　anodes　for　lithium　ion　batteries.　The　two　carbon　spheres　showed　different　electrochemical　performances　due　to　their　different　surface　functional　groups　and　structures.　The　C　PAN　carbon　nanospheres　had　better　electrochemical　performance　as　anodes　for　lithium　ion　batteries　than　that　of　CPNA　carbon　microspheres.　The　first　charge　capacity　and　discharge　capacity　of　the　C　PAN　nanospheres　at　a　current　density　of　60,　100,　and　200　mA　g　-1　exhibited　a　discharge　capacity　of　1450,　1094,　and　770　mAh　g　-1,　respectively,　and　a　charge　capacity　of　707,　698,　and　446　mAh　g-1,　respectively.　Furthermore,　it　still　owned　a　high　discharge　capacity　at　a　current　density　of　60,　100,　and　200　mA　g-1　of　526,　431,　and　338　mAh　g-1,　respectively,　after　20　cycles.　©　2013　American　Chemical　Society.