Physical Chemistry 2

Code

Course teacher

Associate teachers

Status of the course

Course objectives

The aims of the course are to enable students to:
- understand chemical and electrochemical kinetics which is raised at a higher level,
- understand processes and equilibriums in electrolyte solutions, and understand of surface dynamics,
- resolve different physicochemical problems,
- apply acquired knowledge and skills in professional and specialist courses.

Course enrolment requirements and entry competences required for the course

Enrolled in or passed the course Exercises in Physical Chemistry II

Learning outcomes expected at the level of the course (4 to 10 learning outcomes)

Upon successful completion of the program, students will be able to:
1. Describe and explain mechanism and kinetics of complexs reactions.
2. Describe and explain various equilibriums in the electrolyte solutions.
3. Describe and explain equilibrium and dynamics of processes on solid and liquid surfaces.
4. Calculate physicochemical parameters using thermodynamic and kinetic equations.
5. Interpret experimental and numerical data.

Course content broken down in detail by weekly class schedule (syllabus)

Lectures (2 hours weekly):
1st, 2nd and 3rd week: Ionic equilibria: The solute activity in molality scale. Mean activity coefficient of electrolyte. Debye-Hückel theory. Colligative properties of electrolyte solutions. Acid-base equilibria in water medium. Solubility of slightly soluble salts. The solubility constant. The common-ion efect. The activity coefficient from measurement of solubility.
4th, 5th, and 6th and 7th week: Equilibrium electrochemistry: Thermodynamic functions of the ion formation. Electrochemical cells. Galvanic cells. Half-reactions and electrodes. Reactions at electrodes. The cell reaction. The potential difference of the cell. Standard electrode potentials. Cells at equilibrium. Types of electrode. Types of galvanic cells. The liquid junction potential and transference number. The solobility constant from potential difference mesurements of the cell. The determination of pH. The determination of thermodynamic functions. Diffusion potential.
8th, 9th and 10th week: The kinetics of complex reactions: Chain reactions. The structure of chain reactions. The rate laws of chain reactions. The explosion. Polymerization kinetics. Chain polymerization. Stepwise polymerization. Photochemical reactions and their quantum yields. Molecular reaction dynamics. Reactive encounters. Activated complex theory. Catalysis. Kinetics in the liquid phase. Primary kinetic salt efect.
11th, 12th and 13th week: The properties of surfaces (Surface dynamics): Types of disperse systems. Colloidal systems. The properties of liquid surfaces. Solid surfaces: surfaces growth and surface composition and structure. Physisorption and chemisorption. Adsorption isotherms. Langmuir isotherm. Catalytic activity at surfaces. Mechanisms af heterogeneous catalysis. Use of adsorption measurements to determine surface area: Low-energy electron diffraction. Electron emission from surfaces (photoelectron spectroscopy).
14th and 15th week: Dynamic electrochemistry: Processes at electrodes. The electrical double layer. The rate of charge transfer. Polarization. Electrochemical processes. Electrolysis. The characteristics of working cells. Fuel cells and secondary cells. Corrosion. The rate of corrosion. The inhibition of corrosion.
Seminars (one hour weekly):
Solving numerical problems in physical chemistry.

Format of instruction:

Student responsibilities

Lecture and seminar attendance and active participation of at least 70 percent of the planned schedule.
The exam can be taken continuously (cumulatively) through colloquiums (partial tests) combining theoretical and practical tasks or as one comprehensive exam (written and oral).