Silicon/carbon (Si/C) composites combine the high theoretical specific capacity of silicon with the electronic conductivity, structural stability, and volume-buffering capability of carbon, making them promising anode candidates for next-generation high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries. However, the substantial volume variation of silicon during repeated charge/discharge processes continuously perturbs the electrode/electrolyte interface, and the resulting interfacial instability remains a major barrier to practical application. Porous carbon host design and Si/C interface regulation have become key routes for improving structural robustness and electrochemical performance. Most existing reviews focus on the failure mechanisms of silicon-based anodes or the structural classification of Si/C composites, whereas the structural regulation role of porous carbon hosts has not been systematically summarized. This review places porous carbon hosts at the center of analysis and summarizes the main preparation strategies, including the hard-templating method, soft-templating method, combined hard- and soft-templating method, template-free synthesis, and etching strategies, with emphasis on their pore-forming mechanisms, structural regulation features, and industrialization potential. Building on this host-centered framework, silicon incorporation and carbon coating strategies are further discussed in terms of their effects on silicon distribution, Si/C interfacial stability, electronic transport, and volume-expansion accommodation. This review further evaluates recent advances in Si/C anodes for lithium-ion batteries from the perspectives of initial Coulombic efficiency, cycling stability, and practical electrode performance. Finally, key challenges related to scalable preparation, structural consistency, electrode-processing compatibility, and industrial adaptation are identified, and future directions for porous-carbon-host-based Si/C anodes are proposed.

Resorcinol–formaldehyde (RF)-derived porous carbons have attracted considerable attention as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries because of their tunable pore structures and continuous carbon frameworks. However, conventional one-factor-at-a-time experiments do not readily allow the relative effects of multiple preparation factors to be systematically compared within a unified experimental framework. In this study, a mixed-level Design of Experiments (DOE) was employed to systematically investigate the effects of solid content, gelation temperature, R/C ratio, combined gelation and acid-washing/aging times, and drying method on the BET specific surface area, total pore volume, and dominant pore size of RF-derived porous carbons. Representative preparation conditions were subsequently selected to prepare PC-1 and PC-2. Both samples exhibited predominantly amorphous mesoporous carbon structures and similar electrochemical response profiles. PC-1 exhibited a higher reversible specific capacity and slightly more favorable electrochemical kinetics. These concurrent observations suggest an association between the pore-structure characteristics and electrochemical behavior of the selected samples. PC-1 delivered an initial charge capacity of 416.67 mAh g−1 with an initial Coulombic efficiency of 79.31%. After 200 cycles at 0.1 A g−1, it retained a reversible capacity of 307.86 mAh g−1, corresponding to a capacity retention of 88.64% relative to the second-cycle charge capacity. These results indicate that, within the investigated design space, the DOE approach provides an exploratory basis for jointly comparing the statistical evidence and practical effect magnitudes of the preparation factors and for selecting representative candidates with favorable pore-structure characteristics. The integration of DOE-based factor screening with subsequent structural and electrochemical validation provides an experimentally grounded framework for relating preparation parameters to pore-structure responses and lithium-storage behavior, thereby supporting the rational development of RF-derived porous carbon anodes for lithium-ion batteries.

The TaC coatings were deposited on graphite substrates by CVD at 1873 K using a TaCl5-C3H6-Ar precursor system. Their corrosion behavior and mechanisms were examined after exposure to Si vapor at 1973 K for 4 h under different flow designated as S1 at 5 g, S2 at 10 g, and S3 at 20 g. The corrosion process is driven by the reaction of TaC with high-temperature Si vapor, resulting in TaSi2 formation and creating a multiphase surface structure consisting of TaSi2 and SiC. This phase transformation induces internal stresses. Then the reaction front advances into the grain interiors. The reactions induce coating consumption and alter roughness, microstructure, and mechanical properties. After corrosion, the surface roughness increased from 1.00 mu m to 7.94 mu m, 11.08 mu m, and 22.11 mu m, with corresponding corrosion layer depths of 3.52 mu m, 6.13 mu m, and 9.52 mu m, respectively. For the most severely corroded sample S3, the nanohardness and elastic modulus decreased by 29.8 % and 16.1 %, respectively. The damage mechanisms of Si vapor on TaC-coated graphite were revealed to be dominated by chemical reactions, followed by mechanical effects.

By employing a facile hydrothermal synthesis and a subsequent mild self-assembly process, a three-dimensional composite material designated as SnO2/CNT/GA has been synthesized. This composite incorporates SnO2 encapsulated within a dual-carbon framework consisting of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and graphene aerogel (GA). The CNT form an internal conductive network that bridges the SnO2 nanoparticles and the GA, preventing their aggregation. Together with the external GA carbon layer, this configuration forms a dual-layer, stable conductive network that enhances the ion and electron transport properties of SnO2. The extensive surface area of the CNT/ GA alleviates the volume expansion of SnO2, ensuring excellent electrochemical kinetics. The structurally optimized SnO2/CNT/GA-1 variant demonstrated superior electrochemical performance. The SnO2/CNT/GA-1 exhibits a significant reversible capacity, reaching 539 mAh g- 1 at a current density of 0.1 A g- 1 sustained over 500 cycles, and it also demonstrates an impressive rate capability of 298.7 mAh g- 1 at a higher current density of 1 A g-1. Collectively, these characteristics establish the SnO2/CNT/GA composite as a viable anode material candidate for sodium-ion batteries.

The objective of this study was to investigate the corrosion resistance of SiC coatings with various morphologies on graphite in a high-temperature Cl2 environment. The researchers conducted a thorough assessment of the coating's corrosion resistance by comparing micro-morphology, changes in surface roughness, and mass loss rates before and after corrosion. The findings reveal that the SiC layer can undergo a chemical reaction with Cl2 at high temperatures, resulting in the formation of layered or granular carbon on the grain surface. Corrosion occurs primarily at the grain boundaries. Among the tested samples, the S30 sample, characterized by the smallest grain size with average grain size 7.15μm, exhibited the highest corrosion resistance. It showed a low mass loss rate of only 0.72% and a minimal surface roughness change rate of 11.3% before and after corrosion, whereas the S40 exhibited the highest mass rate loss of 1.2% and S20 had the highest roughness variation rate 54.3%.

It is widely recognized that CuO experiences volume expansion and conductivity issues, leading to unsatisfactory performance in sodium-ion batteries. A feasible approach to mitigate these challenges is the combination of Cu/CuO nanosheets with porous reduced graphene oxide aerogel (GA). In this study, an innovative composite of Cu/CuO nanosheets encapsulated within a 3D GA structure (GA/Cu/CuO) was synthesized via an alkaline exfoliation-mild self-assembly method. The results reveal that the Na+ storage properties of Cu/CuO/GA significantly surpassed those of pure CuO. Specifically, the GA/Cu/CuO exhibited a capacity retention of 320 mAh g(-1) after 220 cycles at a current density of 0.1 A g(-1), and demonstrated an optimized rate capability of 225 mAh g(-1) at a current density of 1 A g(-1). The enhanced rate and long-cycle performances are attributed to the synergistic effects of Cu/CuO nanosheets and porous GA, which shorten the Na+ transfer pathway, improve electronic/ionic conductivity, and buffer volume expansion during the discharge/charge process. Furthermore, the facile and innovative design strategy presented could be applicable to the synthesis of other composites for energy storage applications.

In this study, we successfully synthesized silicon nanotubes (Si-NTs) and silicon nanowires (Si-NWs) in a controllable manner using a catalyst- and template-free method through the direct electrolysis of SiO2 in a molten CaCl2-CaO system, while also proposing a novel formation mechanism for Si-NTs. Si-NWs are formed through electro-deoxidation when the cell voltage is within the range of CaO decomposition voltage and SiO2 decomposition voltage. By subsequently adjusting the voltage to a value between the decomposition potentials of CaCl2 and CaO, in-situ electro-deoxidation of CaO takes place on the surface of the synthesized Si-NWs, leading to the formation of a Ca layer. The formation of Ca-Si diffusion couple leads to the creation of vacancies within the Si-NWs, as the outward diffusion rate of Si exceeds the inward diffusion rate of Ca. These differential diffusion rates between Si and Ca in a diffusion couple exhibit an analogy to the Kirkendall effect. These vacancies gradually accumulate and merge, forming large voids, which ultimately result in the formation of hollow SiCa-NTs. Through a subsequent dealloying process, the removal of the embedded calcium leads to the formation of Si-NTs. Following the application of a carbon coating, the Si-NTs@C composite showcases a high initial discharge capacity of 3211 mAh·g−1 at 1.5 A·g−1 and exhibits exceptional long-term cycling stability, maintaining a capacity of 977 mAh·g−1 after 2000 cycles at 3.0 A·g−1.

The borosilicate scales with different B2O3 contents were prepared on MoSi2 ceramics by cold pressing, pressureless sintering and pre-oxidation. Hot corrosion with Na2SO4 was carried out at 1000 degrees C for 8 h. The preoxidized borosilicate scale on ceramics with 10 wt% B2O3 has an excellent hot corrosion resistance. B2O3-SiO2 barrier scales mainly contained amorphous borosilicate glass which can reacted with Na2SO4 producing sodium borosilicate glass to cover and heal the corroded surface. The Mo-based particles under the barrier scale were isolated to avoid severe reactions producing Na2MoO4, so the borosilicate barrier scale had an excellent corrosion resistance to Na2SO4 molten salt.