91238 - Electrochemical Systems for Energy Storage and Conversion

Academic Year 2021/2022

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Photochemistry and Molecular Materials (cod. 9074)

Learning outcomes

To acquire basic and technological knowledge of the most advanced materials for energy conversion systems such as lithium batteries, supercapacitors and fuel cells and of the main electrochemical techniques to test these systems.

Course contents

The course consists of 8 lessons of 3 hours each (24 frontal hours) and at least 5 laboratory days plus preparatory lessons to explain the experiences for a total of 24 hours.

The new methods for delivering teaching in anti-COVID safety provide for changes that will above all affect the carrying out of the laboratories. These changes will also depend on the number of actual attending students as practical experiences will take place in the LEME research laboratory.

Lessons content:

Basic electrochemical aspects of energy storage and / or conversion systems, such as batteries, supercapacitors and fuel cells.

Present state of the technology of the aforementioned systems for various applications in the field of portable (consumer electronics and biomedical devices), transport (electric and hybrid vehicles) and stationary.

Research and development of electrode, electrolytic and electrocatalytic materials with particular reference to primary lithium batteries and rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, double layer supercapacitors, redox and hybrid supercapacitors.

Electrochemical and chemical-physical investigation techniques on the above materials and devices.

Laboratory:

It is expected to carry out at least one practical experience on batteries, also accompanied by tutorials, in order to allow all students to attend the laboratory. The experience on the electrochemical impedance technique will be carried out remotely with the help of simulations and real data to be processed, and also the tutorial on commercial supercapacitors will be performed remotely with the help of tutorials and real data to be processed.

The specific program of lessons and lab experiences will be provided to students on the first day of class and will be published on IOL.

Readings/Bibliography

Indications about reference texts (all available in the main libraries) will be done during the course. Papers and review articles will be also provided.

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons: basic and technological aspects of electrochemical energy conversion systems such as lithium batteries and supercapacitors.

Laboratory training on physical chemistry characterizations of materials for lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors and electrochemical tests on the above reported energy conversion systems.

Possible distance teaching will be given through Microsoft Teams with the support of Microsoft 365 software suite.

 

Assessment methods

The final exam is oral and aims to verify, on the basis of a topic selected by the student and two or more questions on the main topics covered, both the acquisition of knowledge required by the course program and the student's ability to know how to move within of the topics covered, also using the bibliographic material provided by the teacher.

As topic of choice, the student can present a short report (also as group work) in the form of a ppt presentation on one of the covered topics, also accompanied by the results of the corresponding lab experience. The mode of these presentations will be decided with the students during the course and may also take place at a different time than the date of the exam. The ability to present the specific topics of the ppt presentation and the correctness of the answers to the questions will contribute to the vote. Organic vision and criticism of the topics and mastery of specific language will be evaluated very positively; mnemonic knowledge of the subject, lack of synthesis and inappropriate specific language will be evaluated not so positively.

Note: assessment methods could vary in case of extension of the anti-COVID measures. Students will be promptly informed by the the teacher in case of variation.

Teaching tools

Power point presentations used during the lessons, papers and software for simulations and data elaboration will be uploaded on the site Insegnamenti on line [https://iol.unibo.it/] before the corresponding lesson. It is advisable to consult the ppt presentations before the lesson in order to be able to follow the lesson in a proactive way.

It is advisable to prepare the experience report immediately after finishing the experience in order to better fix the concepts.

Possible distance teaching will be given through Microsoft Teams with the support of Microsoft 365 software suite.

Office hours

See the website of Catia Arbizzani

SDGs

Affordable and clean energy Sustainable cities Responsible consumption and production Climate Action

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.