Silicon has long been considered one of the most promising materials for next‑generation lithium‑ion battery anodes due to its exceptionally high theoretical capacity. However, its large volume expansion during cycling leads to particle fracture, unstable interfaces, and rapid capacity fading. These challenges have limited its widespread commercial adoption. Researchers worldwide have been searching for scalable ways to incorporate silicon into composite anodes without sacrificing durability.
In this study, the team introduces a spray‑drying approach to produce graphite/carbon nanotube/silicon (G/CNT/Si) composite microspheres with a robust hierarchical structure. The process enables uniform dispersion of silicon and carbon nanotubes within a graphite matrix, forming mechanically resilient secondary particles that can better accommodate silicon’s expansion during cycling. Moreover, the use of a low-cost by-product from natural graphite spheroidization and low CNTs content offers significant economic and environmental advantages.
Electrochemical testing shows that the optimized composite delivers enhanced cycling stability and improved capacity retention compared with conventional graphite–silicon blends. The presence of CNTs provides conductive pathways, while the spray‑dried architecture minimizes particle pulverization and maintains structural integrity over long‑term cycling.
This work demonstrates a scalable and industry‑compatible route for integrating silicon into commercial‑grade anodes, offering a promising pathway toward higher‑energy lithium‑ion batteries for electric vehicles, portable electronics, and grid storage.
The work titled “Scalable spray-dried graphite/CNT/silicon composites with enhanced cycling stability for Li-ion battery anodes” was published in Energy Materials (published on February 4, 2026).

DOI：10.20517/energymater.2025.167