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Technische Universität München

Electrochemical Engineering

Lecturer

J. Torgersen, S. Marx, K. Sharma

Content

Basic principles: electrochemical cells, electrochemical reactions, scientific electrochemical units, constants, conventions, Faraday’s law, Faradaic efficiency, current density, Ohm’s law, Nernst equation, double layer charging

Cell potential and thermodynamics:  open circuit voltage, standard potential, overpotential, temperature effects, equilibrium constants, Pourbaix diagrams, liquid junctions, reference electrodes, electrode interface equilibrium, Debye-Hückel theory, activity coefficients

Transport: Fick’s law, Nernst- Planck equation, conservation of material, transference number, mobilities, migration, convective mass transfer, concentration overpotential, current distribution, membrane transport

Conductors, Semiconductors and Insulators: the band model, capacitance, dielectric constant, polarization, band gap, band diagram, Schottky barrier, doping, Fermi level, Transistor, electrochemical capacitor, pseudo capacitance

Electrode structures and configurations: description and characterization of porous electrodes, porous electrode impact on transport, gas-liquid interface, three-phase boundaries, flow electrodes

Electroanalytical techniques: instrumentation and practical issues, step change in potential/ current, electrode kinetics, cyclic voltammetry, stripping analysis, electrochemical impedance, three electrode cells, iR compensation, microelectrodes

Battery fundamentals: cell components, cell chemistries, theoretical capacity, state of charge, cell characteristics, electrochemical performance, Ragone plots, heat generation, efficiency, charge retention, self-discharge, capacity fade

Battery applications: cell/ battery pack design, layout, specific cell design, cell scaling, rate capability design, construction, charging, performance, battery and thermal management, mechanical stability, safety

Fuel cell fundamentals: Types, current-voltage polarization, effect of operation to maximum power, electrode structures, proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, alkaline water electrolysis (AWE), solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC)

Process and auxillary equipment: system analysis, stack design configurations, construction, components, oxidant/ fuel utilization, flow field design, water and thermal management, mechanical stability

Electrodeposition: Faraday’s law, deposition thickness, nuclei formation, nucleation rates, growth of nuclei, deposition morphology, additives, current distribution impact, side reactions, resistive substrates

Industrial electrolysis, electrochemical reactors, redox-flow batteries: performance measures, voltage loss and polarization, design of industrial reactors, industrial electrolytic processes, thermal management, operation, redox- flow batteries, processes for a sustainable future

Semiconductor electrodes and photoelectrochemical cells: energy scales, semiconductor-electrolyte interface, current flow in the dark, light absorption, photoelectrochemical effects, thermodynamics of illuminated electrodes, photo-electrochemical cells

Corrosion: corrosion rate for uniform corrosion, localized corrosion, corrosion protection

Emerging electrochemical applications: vehicle power demand and regenerative breaking, Power and Solar-to-X, supply-demand smoothing, aerospace applications

Duration / ECTS

  • Wintersemester
  • Lecture (2 SWS) + Exercise (1 SWS)
  • ECTS 5

(Recommended) Prerequisites

  • Advanced mathematics 1- 2

  • Engineering mechanics 1

  • Fluid Mechanics 1

  • Electrical Engineering 1

  • Thermodynamics 1

  • Materials science 1- 2

Intended learning outcomes

Nach der Teilnahme an der Vorlesung ist der/die Studierende in der Lage

Upon successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

  • Understand the fundamentals of electrochemical cells, operation principles and related terminology.

  • Calculate cell potential and thermodynamics of electrochemical systems.

  • Describe and calculate electrochemical kinetics with discussion on reaction rate, mass transfer and current efficiency.

  • Name and quantify transport phenomena in electrochemical systems such as ion and electron mobility, convective and diffusive mass transfer, concentration overpotential, current distribution, membrane transport and capillary flow.

  • Explain and calculate the influence of electrode structures and configurations including porosity, gas liquid interface, three-phase electrodes and electrodes in flow.

  • Name and describe electroanalytical techniques and analyze electrochemical systems such as cyclic voltammetry, stripping analysis, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, three electrode cells, half cells and rotating disc electrodes.

  • Describe and calculate battery, fuel cell and double layer capacitor characteristics, explain mechanisms and design of electrochemical systems.

  • Describe the operation principles of applied electrochemical systems such as energy storage for hybrid and electrical vehicles, electrodeposition, industrial electrolysis, electrochemical reactors and redox-flow batteries.

  • Explain the fundamentals of semiconductors, semiconductor-electrolyte interfaces, light absorption and the photoelectrochemical effect.

  • Calculate and explain the thermodynamics of corrosion systems, estimate the corrosion rate for uniform corrosion, describe mechanisms of localized corrosion and name corrosion protection measures.

Meda forms

  • Vorlesung und Übung
  • Unterlagen und Übungsaufgaben zum Download über moodle

Examination

Depending on the number of participants, the module examination is held as a written or oral examination, depending on the number of participants. If the number of candidates is low, the examiner may hold an oral exam (20 min) after written notification no later than four weeks before the examination date instead of the written examination (60 min) (APSO §12 para. 8). No aids are permitted. In the examination, students demonstrate a sound knowledge of electrochemical principles and their application to develop products or devices for electrochemical systems. In addition, students utilize their background on topics such as heat transfer, structural mechanics, and materials science to the design and operation of electrochemical systems. The examination content covers the entire course.

Literature

  • T.F. Fuller, Electrochemical engineering, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, Hoboken, NJ, 2018.

  • M.T.M. Koper, P.N. Bartlett, R.C. Alkire, eds., Electrochemical engineering: from discovery to product, Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH, Weinheim, Germany, 2019.

  • A.J. Bard, L.R. Faulkner, H.S. White, Electrochemical methods: fundamentals and applications, Third edition, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., Hoboken, NJ, 2022.

  • R. O’Hayre, S.-W. Cha, W. Colella, F.B. Prinz, Fuel Cell Fundamentals, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, Hoboken, NJ, USA, 2016. 

  • M.G. Fontana, Corrosion engineering, Nace, Place of publication not identified, 1986.

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