Course curriculum

  • 1

    Introduction

    • Welcome video

    • Meet the teachers

    • Overview

    • Learning objectives

    • What do you want to learn?

    • Good practices to use this platform

    • How to obtain your course certificate
  • 2

    1. Fundamental Electrocatalysis

    • Before really kicking things off... What do you think Electrocatalysis is?

    • Introduction

    • Different types of electrochemical cells

    • Classification of electrochemical cells

    • Typical electrochemical reactions

    • Exercise: Galvanic or Electrolytic Cell

    • Nernst equation

    • Reference electrodes

    • Exercise - Calculating cell potentials

    • Principles of reaction kinetics

    • Mass transfer and Nernst's model

    • Butler-Volmer equation

    • Approximations of the Butler-Volmer equation (Tafel laws)

    • Mixed kinetics

    • Summary
  • 3

    2. Electrochemical Methods

    • Introduction

    • Linear sweep voltammetry

    • Linear sweep voltammetry: Transfer coefficient

    • Linear sweep voltammetry: Exchange current density

    • Exercise: Linear sweep voltammetry

    • Cyclic voltammetry I

    • Cyclic voltammetry II

    • Exercise: Cyclic voltammetry

    • Rotating disk electrode: Forced convection

    • Rotating disk electrode: Experiments I

    • Rotating disk electrode: Experiments II

    • Summary
  • 4

    3. Upscaling Electrochemical CO₂ Reduction

    • Icebreaker

    • Introduction

    • Why is electrochemical reduction of CO₂ important?

    • Technology summary

    • Quiz on CO₂ER and electrocatalysts

    • Evolution of CO₂ electrolyzer designs

    • TRL and pilots

    • Case studies: current pilots

    • Quiz on technology readiness and pilot projects

    • Build the Reaction: Understanding CO₂ Electrolysis Architecture

    • Path forward: policy and finance mechanisms

    • Quiz on policy and market drivers

    • Conclusions
  • 5

    Conclusion

    • WIP Conclusions

    • Help us to improve this course

    • Further readings

    • Thanks to our sponsors

Instructor(s)

Professor

Tom Breugelmans

Tom Breugelmans started his career as an assistant in 2004 at the Artesis Hogeschool Antwerp and obtained a PhD in engineering sciences from the VUB in 2010. He is currently a professor at the University of Antwerp. He is spokesperson for the ELCAT (Applied Electrochemistry and Catalysis) research group and is active in research in the field of electrochemical engineering. The core research activities within ELCAT are related to the development of state-of-the art electrochemical reactors and catalysts, with a view towards large-scale industrial development in the field of industrial electrification, in a green and sustainable way to ultimately replace the traditional chemical processes. The scope there is to improve controllability, flexibility and energy efficiency of the reactions through electrocatalyst and reactor design. This research can thus be subdivided in three main topics, which are interrelated: (i) electrocatalysis, (ii) electrosynthesis and (iii) electrochemical reactor engineering. From those research topics, two major aspects of the identity as a group clearly come to the surface: (1) industrial application and (2) green chemistry. In this respect, ELCAT is already actively developing other novel and innovative catalysts for multiple national and European projects looking into the electrochemical CO2 conversion, albeit targeting different end products (e.g. formic acid, CO, methanol). Utilizing renewable energy, this could potentially result in decreased CO2 emissions to the atmosphere, further highlighting the green chemistry aspect of the research at ELCAT. Since September 2020, he has taken up the mandate of dean of the Faculty of Applied Engineering Sciences.