Module Notes
Faculty Member (Members):
Postgraduate, Spring Semester
Module Type: Specialization Courses
Teaching Language: English/Greek
Course Code: GCHM_C632
ECTS Credits: 8
Module Availability on Erasmus Students: No
Module Details
  1. Understanding of the thermodynamics and kinetics of electrochemical reactions, starting from the thermodynamics and kinetics of purely chemical reactions.
  2. Understanding of the mechanisms of mass transfer in electrochemical systems and of adsorption on electrode surfaces resulting from charge transfer reactions.  
  3. Understanding of the principle and application of basic methods for studying electrochemical reactions.
  4. Familiarization with setting up balances in electrochemical systems and with the design equations of ideal electrochemical reactors, collating them with those for the corresponding chemical reactors.
  5. Familiarization with important technological applications of electrochemical processes.

At the end of this course the students are expected to develop the following competences:

  1. Ability to calculate the electromotive force of an electrochemical cell, the developed overpotentials and its operating potential for a given current density.
  2. Ability to apply common methods of study and characterization of electrochemical systems, such as cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and to analyze the obtained results.    
  3. Competence to solve problems of basic design of ideal electrochemical reactors and to analyze the behavior of electrochemical systems of technological interest, such as fuel cells.

There are no prerequisite courses. However, the students should have basic knowledge of Mathematics (in particular, differential equations and complex numbers), Mass Transfer, Chemical Thermodynamics and Chemical Reactors Design. 

Fundamentals of thermodynamics and kinetics of chemical reactions.

Electrochemical reactions. Electromotive force and operation potential of an electrochemical cell. Fundamentals of thermodynamics and kinetics of charge transfer reactions (electrochemical equilibrium, Nernst law, Butler-Volmer equation).

Adsorption on electrodes of intermediates formed by charge transfer. Adsorption pseudocapacitance.

Mass transfer in electrochemical systems. Calculation of mass transfer rate for ionic migration, diffusion and natural or forced convection. Calculation of limiting current.

Experimental techniques for studying electrochemical reactions.  

Mass, energy and charge balances in electrochemical systems. Design equations of ideal electrochemical reactors. Comparison with ideal chemical reactors.   

Technological applications of electrochemical processes. Applications of electrochemistry in catalysis.

  1. J. O'M. Bockris, A. K. N. Reddy  M. Gamboa-Aldeco, “Modern electrochemistry”, Vol.2 ((Fundamentals of Electrodics), 2nd Edition, Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York, 2000
  2. D. Pletcher, “A First Course in Electrode Processes”, The Electrochemical Consultancy, Romsey, 1991
  3. E. Gileadi, “Electrode Kinetics for Chemists, Chemical Engineers, and Materials Scientists”, VCH, New York, 1993
  4. A. J. Bard, L. R Faulkner, “Electrochemical Methods”, 2nd Edition., J. Wiley & Sons, New York, 2001
  5. M. E. Orazem, B. Tribollet, “Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy”, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, New Jersey, 2008
  6. R. G. Compton, G. E. Banks, “Understanding Voltammetry”, World Scientific Publ. Co., Singapore, 2007
  7. F. Walsh “A first course in Electrochemical Engineering”, The Electrochemical Consultancy, Hants, 1993
  8. C. G. Vayenas, S. Bebelis, C. Pliangos, S. Brosda,D. Tsiplakides, “Electrochemical Activation of Catalysis”, Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York, 2001

Lectures using slides (MS PowerPoint) combined with standard class teaching, mainly for solving of problems to consolidate the theoretical knowledge.

Homework exercises.

The students are provided with the slides of the lectures (in electronic form) as well as with additional educational material, such as publications in scientific journals. They are also guided in literature search and in retrieving relevant information and freeware educational software from the Internet.

  1. Final written exam
  2. Mid-term written exam (on volunteer basis). The mid-term exam grade is taken into account only if it is higher than that of the final exam.
  3. Homework exercises (3 to 4 sets), on volunteer basis
  4. Presence and active class participation

The written exams comprise

  1. theoretical questions, a large part of them in the form of multiple-choice questions
  2. solving of simple exercises, in application of the theoretical knowledge