A review of silicon-carbon anode materials: The role of precursor and its effect on lithium-ion battery performance

The rising popularity of electric vehicles and portable electronics is boosting the demand for advanced lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Silicon-based anodes, known for their higher specific capacity and eco-friendliness, are promising substitutes to the graphite anodes. Nonetheless, the substantial volume changes throughout the lithiation/de-lithiation process result in capacity loss and reduced cycling efficiency. Researchers are actively investigating strategies to improve silicon-based anodes, including making a composite with carbon to increase electrical conductivity and mitigate volume expansion. The role of precursor in this aspect is of great importance as it dictates the resulting structure of the composite and its electrochemical properties. In this review, we focused on various precursors for carbon and silicon and how they can be used in different combination to tailor the morphological and structural stability. We first discussed the structural and phase changes happening inside silicon during lithiation and delithiation cycle. Further, we discussed the suitability of precursors materials and possible combination in which they have been employed by the researchers. Finally, we have listed several current challenges in this field and the possible future strategies towards practical realization of silicon-based anodes. • The choice of precursors affects the structure and performance of anode material. • One can choose a precursor of either carbon, silicon, or both. • An effective approach could be using a single precursor material. • Artificial intelligence can help in selecting precursor materials.