TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preparation (Claimed): Preparation (M1) of the silicon oxide based anode active material involves: reacting a silane compound of formula Si(X)nY4-n (I) with lithium to prepare a silicon oxide precursor or performing a gas phase reduction of the silane compound (I) to prepare a silicon oxide precursor; and sintering the silicon oxide precursor in an inert atmosphere at 400-1300 degrees C.n=2-4;X=halogen atom;Y1=hydrogen atoms, phenyl groups and 1-10C alkoxy groups.Preferred Material: The silicon oxide based anode active material further comprises a material (m1) selected from metals capable of alloying with lithium, metal oxides capable of alloying with lithium and/or carbonaceous materials; or a material (m2) selected from Si, SiOx1, Sn, SnOx2, Ge, GeOx3, Pb, PbOx4, Ag, Mg, Zn, ZnOx5, Ga, In, Sb, Bi and/or their alloys; a carbonaceous coating layer on the silicon oxide.x1=0.8-2;x2,x3,x4,x5=0-2.Preferred Components: The carbonaceous material is selected from graphite, carbon black and/or carbon nanotubes. Preferred Method: The sintering the silicon oxide precursor further involves: adding a carbonaceous material or carbon precursor (3-90 wt.%) to the silicon oxide precursor; adding to the silicon oxide precursor a material selected from metals capable of alloying with lithium, and/or metal oxides capable of alloying with lithium; adding to the silicon oxide precursor the material (m2). The method (M1) further involves: a second sintering after the sintering of the silicon oxide precursor, where the second sintering involves sintering the silicon oxide precursor with a carbon precursor.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The carbon precursor is selected from pitch, furfuryl alcohol, glucose, sucrose, phenol resins, phenol oligomers, resorcinol oligomers, and/or phloroglucinol oligomers. The silicon oxide precursor comprises an oxygen atom.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: The carbon precursor is selected from resorcinol resins and/or phloroglucinol resins. EXAMPLE - A piece of a 0.53 mm thick Li film (1.05 g) and tetrahydrofuran (THF) (30 ml) were added to a 100 ml flask and mixed. The mixture was then placed in an ice bath. Then, 5 cc of trichlorosilane (HSiCl3) was added to the flask and the mixture was reacted for 24 hours. Ethanol (10 ml) was slowly added to the mixture and reacted for 3 hours. The resulting product was filtered using filter (0.5 mu m), washed sequentially with ethanol, distilled water and acetone, and dried in an oven at 60?0C to obtain a partially oxidized silicon oxide precursor. The silicon oxide precursor was heat-treated at 900 degrees C in a nitrogen atmosphere to obtain a test silicon oxide. The prepared test silicon oxide (0.045 g),SFG-6 (RTM: graphite) (0.045 g), and solution of 5 wt.% polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) (0.2 g) in N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) were mixed to prepare a slurry. The slurry was coated on Cu foil using a doctor blade to a thickness of 50 mu m. The resultant slurry coated Cu foil was dried in vacuum at 120 degrees C for 2 hours, and the resulting product was rolled to a thickness of 30 mu m using a roller, thus preparing an anode. A test CR2016-standard coin cell was prepared using the prepared anode plate prepared, lithium metal counter electrode, Cellgard 3510 (RTM: polypropylene separator), and electrolyte solution including 1.3 M LiPF6 dissolved in a mixture of ethylene carbonate (EC) and diethyl carbonate (DEC) (3:7 volume ratio). Comparative anode was similarly prepared except that the slurry included Si particles having a mean diameter of 43 mu m as silicon oxide (0.027 g), the graphite (0.063 g), and solution of 5 wt.% PVDF (0.2 g), in N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP). A comparative coin cell was prepared similarly except that the prepared comparative anode plate was used. The test/comparative coin cells were tested for charge discharge test and results found to be in terms of capacity retention of approximately 90/100, 60/25, 37/20 and 20/ approximately 15 % for cycles 1, 10, 30 and 50 respectively.