Improvement strategies and research progress of silicon/graphite composites in lithium-ion batteries

As a high-performance energy storage device, lithium-ion batteries have a wide range of applications in electronic devices, electric vehicles and renewable energy. However, with the increasing market demand, the requirements for energy density, cycle stability and safety of batteries are becoming increasingly stringent. In the anode of lithium-ion batteries, silicon‑carbon composites have a promising application in lithium-ion batteries because they combine the high-capacity properties of silicon with the stability and conductivity of carbon, effectively enhancing the performance of the battery. Carbon materials are a class of carbon materials composed of carbon elements with a variety of isotopes, which are widely used in electrochemistry and energy storage, such as graphite, carbon nanotubes, graphene and so on. Among them, silicon/graphite composites have attracted much attention as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries due to their high theoretical specific capacity. However, there are still great challenges in terms of low silicon content, difficult compatibility between graphite and silicon interfaces, and cycling performance. Through strategies such as multi-component design, interfacial engineering and alloying, researchers can effectively improve their performance to meet the development needs of future battery technologies. This paper reviews the improvement strategies and research progress of silicon/graphite composites in lithium-ion batteries, and further delves into the optimization mechanisms and performance enhancement pathways of silicon/graphite composites.