Entry requirements

120 credits in science/engineering including 60 credits in chemistry and/or chemical engineering. Either (1) Participation in both Introduction to Energy Storage and Materials Chemistry for Batteries; or (2) Materials Chemistry 10 credits, Electrochemistry 5 credits, and 5 credits at Master's level. Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• outline and apply theory and terminology fundamental to electrochemistry,
• outline the principles of and implement in practice the most common electrochemical characterization techniques,
• critically implement basic theoretical and practical aspects of electrochemistry for energy storage and energy conversion in batteries, supercapacitors, and fuel cells,
• analyse central concepts of adsorption, reactions kinetics, mass transfer and polarisation with respect to electrochemical energy storage and energy conversion,
• critically analyse the connection between electrochemistry and the configuration of battery electrodes, as well as the choice of electrode and electrolyte materials,
• relate basic principles in corrosion to corrosion issues in batteries,
• present topics related to general electrochemistry to a non-specialist audience.

Content

Fundamental electrochemical theory and terminology. Electrochemical cells, electrode potentials, double-layers, and interfaces. Voltammetry, amperometry and chronopotentiometry, potentiostats. Energy storage and energy conversion in batteries, supercapacitors, and fuel cells, electrolysers. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, GITT, PITT and ICI. Adsorption, reactions kinetics, mass transfer, and polarisation in energy-related devices. Flat vs. porous electrodes. Electrode materials and electrode configurations in batteries. Conductivity, battery electrolytes and their characterisation. Basic corrosion and corrosion problems in batteries. Practical evaluation of electrochemical cells, electrochemical reactions, batteries and capacitors. General application areas in electrochemistry. Presentation exercise.

Instruction

Lectures, lessons, lab exercises.

Assessment

Written exam at the end of the course (6 credits). Labs and oral popular science presentation exercises (4 credits). 

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the disability coordinator of the university.

Other directives

This course cannot be included in the exam together with Chemical energy storage 5 hp (1KB269) or Advanced electrochemistry 10 hp (1KB271).