The uneven formation of a solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) in Li-ion batteries (LIBs) results in continuous electrolyte consumption and poor ionic conductivity, leading to degradation of the electrochemical performance. In this study, we report the optimal conditions for SEI formation to achieve enhanced electrochemical performance of a SiO_x anode in LIBs using a pre-lithiation under short-circuit-containing constant-resistance (PLSC) process. The SiO_x electrode prepared using the PLSC process delivers more outstanding cycle life (capacity retention of ∼88.6% over 500 cycles) than that of an electrode prepared using the normal discharging process. Furthermore, PLSC process results in significantly improved power capability of SiO_x with a capacity retention of ∼66.6% at 3 A g⁻¹ (vs. the capacity measured at 0.1 A g⁻¹).

The most pressing concerns in environmental remediation are the design and development of catalysts with benign, low-cost, and efficient photocatalytic activity. The present study effectively generated a flower-like indium oxide (In₂O₃-MF) catalyst employing a convenient MOF-based solvothermal self-assembly technique. The In₂O₃-MF photocatalyst exhibits a flower-like structure, according to morphology and structural analysis. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the In₂O₃-MF catalyst for 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) and methylene blue (MB) is likely due to its unique 3D structure, which includes a large surface area (486.95 m² g⁻¹), a wide spectrum response, and the prevention of electron–hole recombination compared to In₂O₃-MR (indium oxide-micro rod) and In₂O₃-MD (indium oxide-micro disc). In the presence of NaBH₄ and visible light, the catalytic performances of the In₂O₃-MF, In₂O₃-MR, and In₂O₃-MD catalysts for the reduction of 4-NP and MB degradation were investigated. Using In₂O₃-MF as a catalyst, we were able to achieve a 99.32 percent reduction of 4-NP in 20 min and 99.2 percent degradation of MB in 3 min. Interestingly, the conversion rates of catalytic 4-NP and MB were still larger than 95 and 96 percent after five consecutive cycles of catalytic tests, suggesting that the In₂O₃-MF catalyst has outstanding catalytic performance and a high reutilization rate.