Electrochemical Engineering of Materials

Catalog description

After introducing basic electrochemical concepts including cell potential and cell thermodynamics, electrochemical kinetics, mass transport and cell overpotentials, redox reactions, electrolytic versus galvanic cells, standard reduction potentials, and key reactions in electrochemical energy conversion and storage, this course will cover the broad impact of electrochemical phenomena on materials. Topics that will be discussed include: (1) materials for lithium-ion battery electrodes, (2) materials extraction from their ores to finished products using electrochemical methods, (3) materials degradation by electrochemical corrosion, (4) Three-dimensional nanostructured materials by selective electrochemical corrosion. Students will be engaged in interactive classroom activities and hands-on electrochemical experiments (this year —fall 2026 — students will learn to cycle LiMn2O4 coin cell batteries). Prerequisites: Open enrollment for SEAS and SAS PhD students For masters students, one of the following courses is required as a prerequisite or corequisite: • MSE 5360 Electronic Properties of Materials (or SEAS/SAS equivalent) • MSE 5300 Thermodynamics and Phase Equilibrium (or SEAS/SAS equivalent)