The course is meant to provide a general background in electrochemistry and coverage of some areas of electrochemical processes and technologies.

Therefore, the main objective of the course is to introduce the students to the fundamentals of electrochemistry and complement the latter with an overview of some particular applications, namely those with a focus on topics and issues generally relevant to material engineering.

The student is expected to acquire familiarity with the key concepts of electrochemistry and be able to critically analyse practical applications of electrochemistry in the light of the fundamental aspects denoting the peculiar nature of electrochemical systems.

Moreover and in particular, the student shall be able to use electrochemical understanding to discuss aspects of material processing and electrochemical energy storage.

Specifically, the student is expected to acquire the ability to analyse electrochemical processes in terms of the following aspects and fundamental concepts: double layer structure and its phenomenology; kinetics of charge transfer; basic aspects of kinetic mechanisms and electrocatalysis; diffusion kinetics; ionic transport and current distribution; significance and relevance of the nature, physical state and stability of electrode materials to their electrochemical behaviour.

These learning outcomes will enable the student to follow advanced courses in electrochemical technologies.

Introduction. Short historical outline: early electrochemical technologies and the slow growth of electrochemistry as a science.

Electrochemical systems: general structure and functioning (electrolytic and galvanic cells), with presentation and discussion of various examples, such as: aluminium electrowinning cell, copper electrorefining cell, zinc - air battery, polymer electrolyte fuel cell.
Electrolytes and conductivity. Transport properties of electrolytes: mechanical and electrical mobility; molar and equivalent conductivity; transport number. Solid electrolytes: defects and conduction mechanisms; oxide conductors for high temperature electrochemical cells and devices; Ag and Cu halide solid electrolytes; sodium ion conductors. Case study: sodium-ion batteries.
Structure of the electrode-electrolyte interphase. Models of the double layer. Galvani and Volta potential. Electrochemical thermodynamics: fundamental relationships, electrochemical potential and the Nernst equation. The electrochemical series. Pourbaix diagrams. Case studies: (a) cells with junction and electrochemical sensing; (b) thermodynamics of fuel cells.
Electrochemical kinetics. Overpotential and kinetic regimes. Butler-Volmer equation: single electron transfer processes. Low and high field approximation of the B.-V. equation; charge transfer resistance; Tafel's law. Multiple step e-transfer reaction. Mass transfer kinetics: the Nernst diffusion layer, steady-state diffusion controlled kinetics and mass transport limited kinetics. Diffusion control and mixed control regime. Mass transfer effects under transient conditions: Cottrell and Sand equations. Ionic transport and current distribution in electrochemical systems.
A brief on electrocatalysis. The hydrogen electrode and the oxygen electrode. Electrocatalysis and electrode materials.

Electrochemical methods for the experimental study of electrode reactions. Steady state and transient techniques. Voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Application examples: potentiostatic transient for the study of: pitting of aluminium alloys; nucleation behaviour in electrocrystallization. Electrochemical impedance characterization of polymer coated metals.

Hydrogen by water electrolysis: fundamentals and technologies.
Electrochemical energy storage and conversion. Primary and secondary batteries. Alkaline batteries; lead-acid battery; secondary lithium batteries.

Electrolytic capacitors: principles and manufacturing (briefly).

Supercapacitors: principles and behaviour. Energy and power performances; experimental assessment of supercapacitor cell performance. Double layer and pseudo-capacitive effects. Hybrid devices.
Fuel cells. Historical outline. Types of fuel cells: low (polymer electrolyte membrane FC) and high temperature systems (Solid oxide FC): performances and material issues.
Electrochemistry of metals and oxides: anodic oxide films; electropolishing; low and high temperature oxidation (model of oxide film growth; Wagner's theory of oxidation).

A solid background in chemistry and physical chemistry is required.

Assessment will be through a writing exam based on open questions relating to fundamental aspects of electrochemistry (namely, thermodynamics and kinetics of electrochemical systems; current distribution) and concerning specific electrochemical processes and their empirical characterization by electrochemical methods.

Both types of questions have also the objective of assessing the basic understanding of electrochemical processes in practice and the ability to make simple calculations. 

Optionally, the students may ask for an oral exam. The topic will be a specific process or technology and will be assigned bythe instructor.