AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The aim of the course is to present to the students the fundaments of electrochemistry, kinetics and catalysis. The main knowledge to know and to understand the applied electrochemistry (primary and Secondary cells, Fuel Cells), kinetics (reactions in solution and in gas phase) and catalysis (homogeneous and eterogeneous catalysis, Langmuir isotherm,enzyme catalysis and the Michaelis Mente mechanism) will be supplied.

PREREQUISITES

Mathematics Institutions

General physics with laboratory

General and inorganic chemistry.

TEACHING METHODS

Theory Lessons (40 ore) and some exercises (24 ore). Five experiences in laboratory, both in electrochemistry and in kinetics.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Elettrochemistry

• electrical condu ctivity in solution. Mobility and transport numbers. Activity and Activity coefficients.  electrochemical potential and Nerst equation. Standard electrode potentials.
• Types of electrodes. Galvanic cells: chemical cells and concentration cells. 
• Applid electrochemistry: primary batteries (Leclanchè, Mallory, Zn-Ag, Zn-aria, litio,), secondary batteries (Pb-acido, Ni-Cd, NiMH, Li ion, Li-S e Na-S). Memort and lazy powder effects.  Fuel cells: the fundaments, thermodynamic efficiency; losses. The structure of a fueld cell. General desc ription of the different types of fueld cells.

Kinetics

• Simple order reactions and analysis of the experimental data. The effect of thempersature and the Arrhenius equation. 
• Theories of the chemicsal reaction (Collision Theory and Transition State Theory. Equipotential Energy Surfaces. Some reaction mechanisms in solution and in gas phase (steady state or rate determining step hypoteses ) and some examples (ozone decomposition, HBr synthesis, Hydrogen-oxygen explosive synthesis). Reaction Mechanisms in solution (diffusion, internal pressure, dielectric constant, ionic strengh).

Catalysis

• Homogeneous catalysis (acid-base andproton transfer).  Heterogeneous catalysis (physical and chemical adsorption). Langmuir isotherm: simple adsorption, adsorption with dissociation con dissociazione, competitive adsorbption. Enzyme catalysis:Michaelis-Menten mechanism, enzyme inhibition, pH effect.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

FABIO MICHELE CANEPA (President)

CRISTINA ARTINI

MARIA CARNASCIALI

LESSONS

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Written exam formed by 3/4 problems in both arguments. 

Oral exam in theory and some simple exercises.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

By the written exam, it should be possible to evaluate either the knowledge of the student about the main arguments of the course and the his/her ability to apply them to real problems. 

The oral exam is performed by two teachers for about 45 minutes. The ability to reasoning as well as the the skil to solve some short problems, is evaluated. 

Exam schedule