Learning Outcomes:
The ability to: define oxidation and reduction; distinguish between Galvanic and electrolytic cells; identify the anode and cathode in a electrochemical cell; write and balance the half-reactions and overall redox cell reaction; define the EMF of an electrochemical cell and distinguish it from the cell potential; describe how the thermodynamics (ΔG, ΔH and ΔS) of an electrochemical cell reaction can be determined, use the Electrochemical Series to calculate the standard EMF of a cell; use the Nernst equation to calculate the concentration dependence of an electrode potential and the cell EMF; perform calculations with the Butler-Volmer equation and construct Taefel plots; explain basic the concepts of electron transfer and Marcus theory.
The ability to: describe a variety of classical electrochemical techniques applied in dynamic electrochemistry. e.g. chronoamperometry and cyclic voltammetry; perform calculations to extract useful experimental data such as the diffusion coefficient and electron transfer kinetics; describe the advantages of micro- and nano- electrodes and how fundamental chemical behaviour is altered at these confined length-scales. Determine kinetic data and reaction mechanisms from voltammetry data.
The ability to: describe the uses of electrochemistry at the life science interface e.g. enzyme electrochemistry and the development of DNA biosensors; use Faraday’s Laws to calculate the mass of product formed in an electrolytic cell; describe recent developments and concepts in electrocrystallization and electrocatalysis.