Lecture

Electrochemistry Fundamentals

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In course

ChE-407: Electrochemical engineering

This course builds upon the underlying theory in thermodynamics, reaction kinetics, and transport and applies these methods to electrosynthesis, fuel cell, and battery applications. Special focus is placed on addressing current challenges in state-of-the-a ...

Description

This lecture covers the fundamentals of electrochemistry, focusing on cell potential, current production, and the relationship between current and reactant conversion. It explains the concepts of standard cell potential, equilibrium potential, and open circuit potential. The instructor discusses the effect of electrode material and additional electrolytes on current-voltage plots, emphasizing the importance of overpotential in driving reactions. Analogies between chemical reactivity and electrochemistry are explored, highlighting the role of overpotential in reaction rates. The lecture concludes with a discussion on deriving analytical expressions for current-voltage curves.

Instructors (2)

Ardemis Anoush Boghossian

Nikolaos Vlachopoulos

Official source

Ontological neighbourhood

Chemistry

Physical chemistry: Electrochemistry

Related concepts (32)

Electrochemical cell

An electrochemical cell is a device that generates electrical energy from chemical reactions. Electrical energy can also be applied to these cells to cause chemical reactions to occur. Electrochemical cells which generate an electric current are called voltaic or galvanic cells and those that generate chemical reactions, via electrolysis for example, are called electrolytic cells. Both galvanic and electrolytic cells can be thought of as having two half-cells: consisting of separate oxidation and reduction reactions.

Standard electrode potential

In electrochemistry, standard electrode potential , or , is a measure of the reducing power of any element or compound. The IUPAC "Gold Book" defines it as: "the value of the standard emf (electromotive force) of a cell in which molecular hydrogen under standard pressure is oxidized to solvated protons at the left-hand electrode". The basis for an electrochemical cell, such as the galvanic cell, is always a redox reaction which can be broken down into two half-reactions: oxidation at anode (loss of electron) and reduction at cathode (gain of electron).

Electrochemistry

Electrochemistry is the branch of physical chemistry concerned with the relationship between electrical potential difference, as a measurable and quantitative phenomenon, and identifiable chemical change, with the potential difference as an outcome of a particular chemical change, or vice versa. These reactions involve electrons moving via an electronically-conducting phase (typically an external electrical circuit, but not necessarily, as in electroless plating) between electrodes separated by an ionically conducting and electronically insulating electrolyte (or ionic species in a solution).

Membrane potential

Membrane potential (also transmembrane potential or membrane voltage) is the difference in electric potential between the interior and the exterior of a biological cell. That is, there is a difference in the energy required for electric charges to move from the internal to exterior cellular environments and vice versa, as long as there is no acquisition of kinetic energy or the production of radiation. The concentration gradients of the charges directly determine this energy requirement.

Reduction potential

Redox potential (also known as oxidation / reduction potential, ORP, pe, , or ) is a measure of the tendency of a chemical species to acquire electrons from or lose electrons to an electrode and thereby be reduced or oxidised respectively. Redox potential is expressed in volts (V). Each species has its own intrinsic redox potential; for example, the more positive the reduction potential (reduction potential is more often used due to general formalism in electrochemistry), the greater the species' affinity for electrons and tendency to be reduced.

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