Although silicon/carbon (Si/C) nanohybrid materials are promising to improve the energy density of lithium ion batteries, their nano-sized features severely hinder their practical application, as the current battery assembly process favors micron-sized electrode materials. In this work, to combine the merits of nano-and micron-sized materials together, micron-sized carbon coated graphene wrapped Si/carbon black (Si/CB@G@C) spherical hybrids are synthesized via a water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion system. In the obtained hierarchical structure, Si and CB nanoparticles (NPs) are embedded in the micron-sized graphene sphere, well encapsulated by the flexible graphene sheets, and these hybrids are further coated by an amorphous carbon layer. Thus, the graphene sphere can accommodate the volume expansion of Si NPs during lithiation, protect them from direct exposure to the electrolyte and enhance the electrical conductivity. Furthermore, the CB particles between Si NPs and graphene, together with the carbon coating layer can provide highly conductive network for the transport of electrons, also preventing Si NPs from directly contact with the electrolyte. As a result, the as-prepared Si/CB@G@C hybrids exhibit a significantly improved cycling stability compared with pure Si and Si@G hybrids, along with an excellent rate performance (728 mAh g(-1) at 2 Ag-1). (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.