Electroactive materials for metal-ion batteries

A particulate material comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise:

• (a) a porous carbon framework comprising micropores and optional mesopores,
• wherein the micropores and optional mesopores have a total pore volume as measured by gas adsorption of P1 cm3/g, wherein P1 has a value of at least 0.7 and up to 1.3,
• wherein the PD50 pore diameter as measured by gas adsorption is no more than 1.5 nm, and
• wherein the PD90 pore diameter of the porous carbon framework is no more than 10 nm;
• and
• (b) a plurality of elemental nanoscale silicon domains located at least within the micropores of the porous carbon framework;
• wherein the weight ratio of silicon to the porous carbon framework in the composite particles is in the range from [0.7×P1 to 1.3×P1]:1, and
• wherein at least 90 wt % of the silicon mass in the composite particles is located within the internal pore volume of the porous carbon framework.