Electrodes, lithium-ion batteries, and methods of making and using same

A method of manufacture, comprising:

• a. heating porous carbon particles in a first non-oxidizing environment to at least a silane (SiH4) gas decomposition temperature to produce heated porous carbon particles;
• b. flowing a silane (SiH4)-comprising gas to induce a deposition of Si nanoparticles on a surface of the heated porous carbon particles to produce Si nanoparticles-comprising composite particles;
• c. heating the Si nanoparticles-comprising composite particles in a second non-oxidizing environment to at least a hydrocarbon gas decomposition temperature to produce heated Si nanoparticles-comprising composite particles;
• d. flowing a hydrocarbon-comprising gas to induce a hydrocarbon gas decomposition and a deposition of conductive carbon (C) on a surface of the heated Si nanoparticles-comprising composite particles to produce Si-comprising and C-comprising composite particles;
• and
• e. cooling the produced Si-comprising and C-comprising composite particles to a temperature below 50° C.