Progress and Perspectives on Silicon-Carbon Composite Anodes for Sustainable Energy Storage: A Review

This review uniquely integrates high-performance silicon-carbon (Si-C) anode design with sustainability considerations, encompassing electrochemical performance, material sources, synthesis strategies, and lifecycle aspects. It elucidates key considerations governing electrical conductivity, volume buffering, and solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) stability, and critically assesses advanced Si-C architectures with perspectives on mitigating silicon volume expansion for durable cycling. This review systematically discusses in detail the recent advances and synthesis methods of various types of carbon-based, silicon-based, metallic and intermetallic, transition-based, phosphorus-based, organic, and multidimensional composite anode technologies used as energy storage materials. A comparative analysis of the structural designs, including void-engineered, yolk-shell, MXene-rich, metal-organic framework, MOF-derived and graphene/carbon nanotubes, CNT-hybrid designs, is provided. In addition, the challenges of industrial-scale production, safety concerns, suitability for various applications and environmental sustainability are highlighted. Research gaps are identified and future directions for improved design and application are also discussed. Finally, this review highlights the importance and potential of Si/C-based composite anodes as enabling materials for durable, high-energy-density and industrially viable lithium-ion batteries, providing valuable guidance for the development of next-generation energy-storage technologies.