Si has been regarded as one of the most promising next generation lithium-ion battery (LIB) anodes due to its exceptional capacity and proper working voltage. However, the dramatic volume change during lithiation/delithiation processes has caused severe detrimental consequences, leading to very poor cyclic stability. It has been one of the critical problems hampering the practical applications of the silicon based LIB anode. Extensive research has been carried out to resolve the problem since early 1990s. For the first time, the studies on the Si anode in the time frame more than two decades are summarized and discussed in this review with a novel chronicle perspective. Through this article, the evolution of the concept, fundamental scientific and technology development of the silicon LIB anode are clearly presented. It provides unique eyesight into this rapid developing field and will shed light on the future trend of the Si LIB anode research.

Since the commercialization of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) in the early 1990s, tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), and germanium (Ge)‐based anodes have attracted considerable research interest as promising candidates for next‐generation LIBs due to their high theoretical capacities, suitable operating voltages, and natural abundance. Additionally, the awareness of limited global lithium sources promoted the renaissance of sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) in recent years. Sn, Sb, and Ge can electrochemically alloy with sodium and are regarded as promising anode candidates for high‐performance SIBs. However, these alloying/dealloying anodes suffer severe volume expansion during lithiation or sodiation processes, which is one of the biggest obstacles toward practical applications. In order to solve this problem, several strategies are developed including reducing the absolute size of particles, creating interior void space, and introducing buffer media. After more than two decades' efforts, the electrochemical performance of Sn, Sb, and Ge‐based anodes is significantly improved. Considerable studies about Sn, Sb, and Ge‐based anodes are summarized in a chronicle perspective and the brief development histories of the three anodes are outlined. With this unique review, light will be shed on the future trends of the studies on the Sn, Sb, and Ge‐based anodes for advanced rechargeable batteries.

We have successfully developed hydrogels with high compressive toughness by reinforcing the double-network structure (PAMPS/PAAm) with grafted silica nanoparticles. Silica nanoparticles grafted with vinyl end groups were used as macro-crosslinkers to copolymerize with AMPS, yielding a nanocomposite first network. Subsequent introduction of a secondary PAAm network resulted in super-tough double-network (DN) composite hydrogels, which do not fracture upon loading up to 73 MPa and a strain above 0.98. The compressive strength, swelling behavior, and morphology of the silica-grafted DN hydrogels were investigated as functions of nanoparticle content and particle size, in comparison with silica nanoparticle-filled DN gels without covalent bonding to the polymer network. Maximal reinforcement of the DN gels was achieved at around 1 wt% (weight percent) of grafted silica nanoparticles with respect to AMPS. Unique embedded micro-network structures were observed in the silica-grafted DN gels and accounted for the substantial improvement in compressive toughness. The fracture mechanism is discussed in detail based on the yielding behavior of these covalently composited hydrogels.