In particular, high-capacity (e.g., greater than around 600 mAh/g) (nano)composite anode powders, which exhibit moderately high volume changes (e.g., 8-180 vol. %) during the first charge-discharge cycle, moderate volume changes (e.g., 4-50 vol. %) during the subsequent charge-discharge cycles, an average size in the range of around 0.2 to around 40 microns (more preferably from around 0.4 to around 20 microns) and specific surface area in the range of around 0.3 to around 60 m²/g (more preferably from around 1 to around 30 m²/g) may be advantageous for certain battery applications in terms of manufacturability and performance characteristics. Electrodes with electrode capacity loading from moderate (e.g., 2-4 mAh/cm²) to high (e.g., 4-10 mAh/cm²) are particularly advantageous for use in certain cells (although some cells with lower capacity loadings may be suitable in some designs and applications). Electrodes produced from aqueous slurries (using water-soluble (preferably with a solubility of more than around 1 mg-polymer binder per 1 ml-water (1 mg/ml), or more preferably with a solubility above around 10 mg/ml) binders that typically exhibit smaller swelling in most electrolyte solvents and, in some designs, stronger bonding to some of the active particles) are particularly advantageous for use in certain cells (although some anodes produced with non-aqueous slurries may be suitable in some designs and applications). Examples of such water-soluble binders include, but are not limited to various polymers and copolymers comprising polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) polymers and their various salts, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and its various salts, styrene-butadiene rubbers (SBR), various polyvinyl alcohols (PVA) with various degrees of hydrolysis and polyvinyl acetate, polyacrylic acid (PAA) and its various salts, alginic acid and its various salts, and various combinations thereof, among others. Furthermore, in an example, a near-spherical (spheroidal) shape of the (nano)composite anode powder may improve rate performance and volumetric capacity of the anodes in certain applications. It may also be advantageous in some designs to utilize (nano)composite anode powders that comprise virtually no (e.g., 0-1 at. %) vanadium (V), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni) atoms in the surface layer (e.g., the top or outer 2-5 nm layer of the anode particles) that get in contact with electrolyte during cycling. Finally, it may also be advantageous in some designs to utilize (nano)composite anode powders that comprise 5-100 at. % carbon (C) atoms in the surface layer (e.g., the top or outer 2-5 nm layer of the anode particles). In addition to some improvements that may be achieved with the formation and utilization of such alloying-type or conversion-type nanocomposite anode materials as well as electrode formulations, additional improvements in cell performance characteristics may also be achieved with improved composition and preparation of electrolytes.