Interface failure behaviors and performance enhancement strategies of graphite anodes for lithium-ion batteries

Graphite serves as the mainstream anode material for commercial lithium-ion batteries, benefiting from its superior reversibility, low lithiation potential, and excellent manufacturing compatibility. Nevertheless, its long-term stability is still hindered by the inherently low lithiation potential, uneven interfacial electrochemical activity and structural variation. Notably, the failure behaviors include an unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) film, lithium metal deposition, and mechanical structural damage. This review comprehensively illustrates the structural features and lithium storage mechanisms of graphite anode materials, and systematically analyzes the degradation mechanisms originating from continuous SEI growth and reconstruction, solvent cointercalation, lithium plating, particle fracture, and macroscopic electrode structural evolution. Furthermore, recent research progress on graphite anode modification is summarized. We critically discuss the regulatory effects of the optimization strategies on lithium-ion migration kinetics, interfacial chemical properties, electrode mechanical stability, and spatially inhomogeneous electrochemical response. By correlating degradation mechanisms with multiscale regulation strategies, this review highlights the importance of coordinated optimization across material, interface, particle, and electrode scales for durable graphite anodes. These insights offer perspectives for the development of durable, fast-charging, and safe graphite-based lithium-ion batteries.