NOVELTY - A silicon-silicon oxide-carbon composite composition comprises nanoscale silicon embedded within a matrix comprising a silicon oxide-carbon composite. The composite comprises 40-85 wt.% nanoscale silicon containing elemental silicon having average particle diameter of 250 nm or less and/or nanostructured silicon having BET surface area of 20-150 m2/g.    USE - Silicon-silicon oxide-carbon composite composition is used for anode material (claimed) for lithium ion battery used for electronic component and vehicle application.    ADVANTAGE - The lithium ion battery comprising anode material has high capacity nd battery performance with reduced irreversible capacity loss, and stabilizes the cycling of lithium rich metal oxides.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for the following:    (1) anode material, which comprises composite of elemental silicon and silicon suboxide and inert elemental metal coated over the active material. The metal coating is inert relative to lithium alloying. The material exhibits room temperature deintercalation/dealloying capacity against lithium counter electrode of 2000 mAh/g or more at discharge rate of C/20 from 1.5-0.005 V;    (2) formation of nanostructured elemental silicon, which involves heating precursor composition to 450 degrees C or more to reduce silicon composition. The precursor composition comprises particulate metal which reduces silicon in matrix of crosslinked silicon composition;    (3) silicon-silicon oxide-carbon composite, which contains nanostructured elemental silicon embedded within matrix comprising silicon oxide-carbon composite. The nanostructured silicon has submicron pores and BET surface area of 20 m2/g or more; and    (4) formation of silicon oxide-carbon composite, which involves pyrolyzing precursor composition in oxygen-free atmosphere to form silicon oxide-carbon composite. The precursor composition comprises sol-gel formed by crosslinking of tetraalkoxysilane and alkylalkoxysilane.