Wheel‐Hub‐Inspired Silicon Anodes with Superior Stress Tolerance for High‐Energy Lithium‐Ion Batteries

ABSTRACT A critical challenge in developing an ideal high capacity, long lifespan silicon (Si) anodes is the inherent conflict between buffering volume expansion and maintaining mechanical integrity, which hinders the industrial use of advanced Si materials. Here, we present a novel wheel‐hub‐inspired Si‐carbon architecture (WH‐Si@C), featuring enclosed near‐surface mesopores that can buffer the outward volume expansion and significantly reduce compressive stress on the external carbon shell during lithiation. Combined with the persistent Si/C planar contact, such a supporting framework also provides strong stress tolerance to calendering and cyclic mechanical fatigue. The intact structure confers stability to the particles and interface, thereby securing the sustained stability of Li + transport. Consequently, the WH‐Si@C anode exhibits outstanding electrochemical performance, delivering an impressive 1824 mAh g −1 at a high current density of 1C and a high capacity of 852 mAh g −1 after 600 cycles at 0.2C. This work offers a feasible approach for developing durable and high‐performance Si anodes for next generation energy storage applications.