Course detail

Practical Chemistry for Electrical Engineers

FEKT-BPA-PCEAcad. year: 2022/2023

Atoms, molecules, orbitals, hybridization. Reaction, oxidation, reduction. Materials for electrotechnique. Liquids, gases, solutions and their physical properties. Chemical equilibration and reaction rates. The introduction to laboratory technique. Corrosion, surface treatment of materials. The introduction to photochemistry and electrochemistry. Electrochemical methods, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

Language of instruction

English

Number of ECTS credits

5

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Learning outcomes of the course unit

The student will gain theoretic and applied knowledge in fundamentals of chemistry and electrochemistry. Based on this, the student will be able to precisely and safety perform any common laboratory practices, which are necessary for operation in chemical and electrochemical laboratories.

Prerequisites

The subject is conceived as introduction to chemistry for students of electrical engineering, thus it does not requires any prerequisites except the knowledge of chemistry from secondary school and mandatory subjects of Electrotechnique I and II.

Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The methods of teaching are dependent on teaching process and are described in article 7 of Study and examination order of BUT.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

The student will gain 20 points after performing all laboratory exercises and correct elaboration of all protocols. The final examination from laboratory knowledge will be scored by another 20 points. The minimal extent for elaboration of each laboratory exercise will be set by yearly actualized order of subject garant. Final oral examination will be scored by maximum of 60 points.

Course curriculum

Syllabus:
1. Introduction to electrochemistry for electroengineers: the basic characteristics of atoms and molecules, chemical bonds, atomic and molecular weight.
2. Atomic orbitals, hybridization, concept of mol, concentration.
3. Chemical nomenclature, basic reactions, oxidation, reduction.
4. The characteristics of elements and materials for electrotechnique: metals, semiconductors, composites, polymers. Beketovov´s electropotential series.
5. Liquids and gases (fluids) - physical properties and their measurement.
6. Solutions, concentration, activity, ionic strength, pH, conductivity.
7. Chemical equilibration. Reaction rates.
8. Practical instruction for chemical laboratories. Equipment, laboratory facilities, and basic analytic methods.
9. Corrosion, stability of materials, advanced and smart materials. Phase diagrams.
10. Electromagnetic radiation and materials. Photosensitivity, degradation, light and energy.
11. Fundamentals of electrochemistry. Electrodes, galvanic and electrolytic cells.
12. Electrochemical methods, potentiometry and voltammetry.
13. The electronics of alternating current. Alternating electrochemical methods – electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

Laboratory syllabus:
1. Laboratory equipment. Laboratory rules. Work with flammables, acids, corrosives, toxics and technical gases. The purity of chemicals.
2. Weighting of chemicals. Preparation of solutions, calculation of concentration. Solubility of chemical compounds in water. Measurement of liquids volume, pipette and burette.
3. Measurement of pH and temperature. Acid-base indicators, titration, titration curve and plotting.
4. Electrode potentials, verification of Nernst equation.
5. Conductivity – solid samples and ionic conductivity of electrolytes.
6. Ion selective electrodes (ISE). The study of ISE properties.
7. Electrochemical source of energy.
8. Hydrogen overpotential of metals.
9. Anodic oxidation of aluminium, preparation of thin layers. Characterization in scanning electron microscopy.
10. Passivation of metals in slow voltammetry. Polarization curves.
11. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.
12. Final examination test.

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

The subject is framed to bring basic as well as applied knowledge in chemistry and electrochemistry to students of semestral projects, bachelor and diploma thesis. The experimental courses in electrochemical and electrotechnical laboratories also inhered to the subject. The attention is paid to manipulation with laboratory equipments together with precise, reproducible and safe fundamental analytical practises, such as preparation of solutions, filtration, titration and weighting.

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

The conditions for successful passing will be set by yearly actualized order of subject garant.

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Jeffrey Gaffney, Nancy Marley: General Chemistry for Engineers (EN)

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme BPA-ELE Bachelor's

    specialization BPA-ECT , 0 year of study, summer semester, elective
    specialization BPA-PSA , 0 year of study, summer semester, elective

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Laboratory exercise

26 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Syllabus

Simple characteristics of atoms and molecules, chemical bonds, atomic, molar mass. Atomic orbitals, the concept of moles and concentrations, hybridization.

Laboratory equipment. Safety rules in the chemical laboratory. Work with flammables, acids, alkalis, poisons and compressed gases. Purity of chemicals.

Nomenclature, basic reactions, oxidation and reduction.

Weighing. Preparation of solutions, concentrations, calculations. Solubility of compounds in the water.

Measurement of liquid volumes, pipetting, burette.

Properties of elements and materials for electrical engineering: Metals, semiconductors, composites, polymers. Electrochemical series of metals.

Electrode potentials, verification of the validity of the Nernst equation.

Basic information about electrochemistry. Electrodes, galvanic and electrolytic cells.

Ion selective electrodes. Study of their properties.

Corrosion, resistance of materials, advanced and "smart" materials. Phase diagrams. Corrosion protection.

Hydrogen overpotential on metals.

Liquids and gases (fluids) - physical properties and their measurement.

Measurement of pH and temperature, acid-base indicators, titration, titration curve and plotting graphs.

Electromagnetic radiation and materials. Photosensitivity, degradation of materials, light and energy.

Electrochemical sources of energy.

Overview of AC electronics. AC methods of electrochemistry - electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

Solutions, concentrations, activity, ionic strength, pH, conductivity.

Conductivity - solid material and ionic conductivity of electrolytes.

Electrochemical methods, potentiometry and voltammetry.

Passivation of metals at slow voltammetry. Polarization curves.

Practical guide for laboratory work. Instruments, laboratory equipment

and basic analytical methods.

Anodic oxidation of aluminum, surface preparation (thin layers). Characterization in an electron microscope.

Qualification test for the laboratory component