Advanced Electrochemistry and Energy Storage

30 lessons, pages 3971–4000.

Advanced Electrochemistry: Scope and Tools — From interfacial kinetics to devices: the thermodynamic, kinetic and transport picture used at research level
Electrochemical Potentials and the Fermi Level — Electrode potential as the Fermi level of electrons and the absolute electrode potential scale
Deriving Butler–Volmer from Transition-State Theory — Potential-dependent activation energies, the symmetry factor and the full current–overpotential relation
Butler–Volmer with Concentration Terms — Surface versus bulk concentrations and the general current–overpotential equation
Multistep Electron Transfer and Apparent Transfer Coefficients — Rate-determining steps, stoichiometric numbers and mechanistic interpretation of Tafel slopes
Marcus Theory of Electron Transfer — Reorganisation energy, parabolic free-energy surfaces and the inverted region
Marcus–Hush–Chidsey Kinetics at Metal Electrodes — Integrating over electronic states and the curvature of real Tafel plots
Electrocatalysis and Volcano Plots — The Sabatier principle, adsorption energies and descriptors for catalyst activity
Oxygen Reduction and Evolution Kinetics — Four-electron pathways, scaling relations and the intrinsic overpotential of oxygen electrochemistry
Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy in Depth — Equivalent circuits, Nyquist plots, Warburg diffusion and extracting kinetic parameters
Porous Electrodes and Transmission-Line Behaviour — Reaction distribution, ionic resistance in pores and utilisation of thick electrodes
Thermodynamics of Intercalation Electrodes — Open-circuit voltage as a function of lithium content, lattice-gas models and voltage plateaus
Layered Oxide Cathodes — LiCoO₂, NMC and NCA: structure, redox centres, practical capacity and degradation
Spinel and Olivine Cathodes — LiMn₂O₄ and LiFePO₄: three-dimensional and one-dimensional diffusion, stability and two-phase behaviour
Anionic Redox and Lithium-Rich Cathodes — Oxygen participation in charge compensation, voltage fade and hysteresis
Graphite and Silicon Anodes — Staging in graphite, alloying anodes, volume expansion and capacity trade-offs
Liquid Electrolytes for Lithium-Ion Cells — Carbonate solvents, LiPF₆, solvation structure, transport numbers and stability windows
Formation and Chemistry of the SEI — Reductive decomposition products, passivation, formation cycling and additive design
Solid Diffusion and Rate Limits in Li-ion Electrodes — Chemical diffusion coefficients, particle size, phase-field views and the Newman porous-electrode model
Degradation and Ageing Mechanisms in Li-ion Cells — Loss of lithium inventory, loss of active material, lithium plating and impedance growth
Thermal Runaway and Battery Safety — Exothermic decomposition cascades, separator failure and safety-by-design at a conceptual level
Beyond Lithium-Ion: Solid-State, Sodium and Lithium–Sulfur — Solid electrolytes, lithium metal anodes, sodium-ion hosts and polysulfide shuttling
Fuel Cell Thermodynamics and Efficiency — ΔG versus ΔH, reversible voltage, thermodynamic efficiency limits and temperature dependence
The Fuel Cell Polarisation Curve — Activation, ohmic and mass-transport losses and power density from Butler–Volmer and transport models
Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells — Nafion membranes, water management, platinum catalysts and the three-phase boundary
Solid Oxide and High-Temperature Fuel Cells — Oxide-ion conductors, internal reforming, fuel flexibility and materials challenges
Water Electrolysis and Hydrogen Production — Alkaline, PEM and solid oxide electrolysers, efficiency and the link to fuel cells
Supercapacitors and Pseudocapacitance — Double-layer capacitance, porous carbons, surface redox and the power–energy trade-off
Comparing Energy Storage Technologies — Ragone plots, cost, cycle life and matching chemistry to application
Advanced Electrochemistry and Energy Storage: Unit Review — Connecting Butler–Volmer kinetics, Li-ion chemistry and fuel cells into one framework