A composite particulate for a lithium battery, wherein the composite particulate has a diameter from 10 nm to 50 μm and comprises one or more than one anode active material particles that are dispersed in a high-elasticity polymer matrix or encapsulated by a high-elasticity polymer shell, wherein said high-elasticity polymer matrix or shell has a recoverable elastic tensile strain no less than 5%, when measured without an additive or reinforcement dispersed therein, and a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10−8 S/cm at room temperature and wherein said high-elasticity polymer comprises a crosslinked polymer network of chains from carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), a substituted version thereof, or a derivative thereof.