Electrochemistry
Graduate · Chemistry
Syllabus focus
Standard syllabus · STEM / applied
Pricing
Graduate-level rates are set on consultation. See the pricing page for K–12 and undergraduate rates.
Topics typically covered
Standard syllabus
Thermodynamics and kinetics of electrode reactions
- Electrochemical potential and Nernst equation
- Standard electrode potentials and reference electrodes
- Butler–Volmer equation and exchange current density
- Tafel analysis and overpotential
- Charge transfer coefficient and symmetry factor
- Mass transport: migration, diffusion, convection
- Limiting current and Cottrell equation
- Rotating disk and ring-disk electrode theory
- Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) fundamentals
- Double-layer structure and capacitance
Electroanalytical techniques
- Cyclic voltammetry: reversible and irreversible systems
- Linear sweep and differential pulse voltammetry
- Square wave and stripping voltammetry
- Chronopotentiometry and chronoamperometry
- Electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM)
- Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM)
- Potentiometric sensors and ion-selective electrodes
- Amperometric biosensors and enzyme electrodes
- Microelectrodes and ultramicroelectrode advantages
- Data analysis: simulation with COMSOL or DigiElch
Energy storage and conversion
- Battery fundamentals: intercalation, conversion, alloying
- Lithium-ion chemistry: SEI formation and degradation
- Solid-state batteries and electrolyte interfaces
- Supercapacitors: EDLC vs pseudocapacitance
- Fuel cells: ORR, HOR, and catalyst challenges
- Water electrolysis and hydrogen production
- CO₂ electroreduction mechanisms and products
- Flow batteries: vanadium, organic redox couples
- Electrode materials synthesis and characterization
- In situ/operando spectroscopy of electrochemical interfaces
Corrosion and industrial electrochemistry
- Corrosion thermodynamics: Pourbaix diagrams
- Corrosion kinetics: polarization curves
- Passivation and pitting corrosion
- Cathodic protection and sacrificial anodes
- Electroplating and electroless deposition
- Electrochemical machining and synthesis
- Chlor-alkali and chlorate industrial processes
- Aluminum electrolysis (Hall–Héroult)
- Electrochemical wastewater treatment
- Scale-up from laboratory cells to industrial reactors
STEM / applied
Laboratory and instrumentation
- Three-electrode cell setup and IR compensation
- Electrode polishing and surface preparation
- Reference electrode maintenance and junction potentials
- EIS measurement and equivalent circuit fitting
- Battery coin cell assembly in glovebox
- Cyclic voltammetry of redox standards (ferrocene)
- Rotating electrode experiments
- Data fitting with Koutecký–Levich analysis
- Safety with high-voltage and reactive electrolytes
- Publication-quality electrochemical data presentation
Applied electrochemistry
- Electric vehicle battery research and industry
- Grid-scale energy storage deployment
- Electrochemical sensor commercialization
- Corrosion engineering in infrastructure and aerospace
- Semiconductor electrochemical processing
- Environmental electrochemistry startups
- Patent landscape in battery technology
- DOE and ARPA-E funding for energy research
- Regulatory testing for battery safety (UL, IEC)
- Career paths in energy, sensing, and materials electrochemistry
Notes
Graduate-level electrochemistry. Topics reflect common electrochemistry syllabi at US research universities. Prior physical chemistry and analytical chemistry background expected.