Electrochemistry

Code

Course teacher

Associate teachers

Status of the course

Course objectives

Students will learn the basic laws of electrolysis and electrochemical kinetics which play an important role in materials science and materials engineering, corrosion protection of materials, electroorganic and inorganic synthesis processes and also in modern and sustainable technologies.

Course enrolment requirements and entry competences required for the course

Enrolled in or passed the course Exercises in Electrochemistry
The condition for taking the exam: Completed the course ”Exercises in Electrochemistry”

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

After the successfully passed exam student is able to:
- explain the difference between chemical and electrochemical reactions
- describe the components and processes in the electrochemical reactor
- identify the types of conductors and conductivity
- define the concept of electrode potential
- explain the structure of electrified phase boundary
- differentiate between the concepts of polarization and overvoltage
- explain the causes of different overvoltage types
- recognize the important electrochemical processes
- introduce electrochemical aspects of environmental protection
- apply the acquired knowledge in solving numerical problems in electrochemistry.

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

1st week: Introduction. Overview of the main problems in electrochemistry. Chemical and electrochemical reactions. Electrochemical systems. Basic concepts in electrochemistry. Types of conductivity. Electrochemical stoichiometry – Faraday law.
2nd week: Ionics. Ion-solvent interaction. Electrolyte definition. Solvent and dissolution process. Ion hydration. Ion-ion interaction. Concept of ionic atmosphere.
3rd week: Non-stationary phenomena in electrolyte solutions. Current flow through electrolyte solutions.
4th week: The modern theory of electronic conductors.
5th week: First test. Electrochemical thermodynamics. Equilibrium cell voltage. Redox reactions and electrochemical systems. Reversibility of electrochemical processes.
6th week: Electrode potentials. Absolute electrode potential. Volta potential, real potential and relative electrode potential. Electrode potential measurement. Nernst relation. Definition of standard electrode potential. Reference electrodes. Standard hydrogen potential scale.
7th week: Phase boundary. Ideally polarizable electrode and electrocapillarity. Adsorption. Nonspecific and specific adsorption. Double layer structure and models. Helmholtz model. Gouy-Chapman model. Stern model. Stern-Gram model.
8th week: Electrokinetic phenomena and zeta-potential. Electrooosmosis. Strearming potential. Electrophoresis. Dorn effect. Electrode kinetics. Electrochemical systems in non-equilibrium conditions.
9th week: Anodic and chatodic processes. Electrochemical reaction mechanism and rate determining step. Polarization and overpotential. Overvoltage types. Second test.
10th week: Electrochemical overpotential. Buttler-Volmer and Tafel equations. Diagnostic criteria.
11th week: Diffusion overpotential. Diffusion in stationary and non-stationary condition.
12th week: Reaction ovrepotential. Crystallization overpotential. Electrochemical measurement methods - stationary and non-stationary.
13th week: Analysis of mechanism selected electrode processes. Electrocatalysis - evolution and reduction of hydrogen and oxygen. Deposition and dissolution of metals. Corrosion of metals.
14th week: Nucleation and new phase formation. Passivity phenomena. Conversion and storage of energy.
15th week: Environmentally oriented electrochemistry. Third test.
Seminars (one hour weekly): Solving numerical problems in electrochemistry.

Format of instruction:

Student responsibilities

Optional literature (at the time of submission of study programme proposal)

C. H. Hamann, A. Hamnett, W. Vielstich, Electrochemistry, Wiley-VCH Weinheim, 1998.

Quality assurance methods that ensure the acquisition of exit competences

- monitoring of students suggestions and reactions during semester
- students evaluation organized by University

Other (as the proposer wishes to add)