Teaching

Fall Semester

A fundamental treatment of fuel cell operation and electrochemistry from a chemical-thermodynamics and materials-science perspective. This course introduces students to the basic aspects of fuel cell systems, with emphasis placed on proton exchange membrane (PEM) and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). Students will learn the basic principles of electrochemical energy conversion while being exposed to relevant topics in materials science, thermodynamics, kinetics, and fluid mechanics. This course inculdes an overview of fuel cell types, fuel processing requirements and approaches, and fuel cell system integration. Current topics in fuel cell research are investigated. Students have an opportunity to fabricate and test operational fuel cells in the Colorado Fuel Cell Center.

Spring Semester

Introduction to reaction kinetics: chemical kinetics, atomic and molecular diffusion, surface thermodynamics and kinetics of interfaces and nucleation-and-growth. Applications to materials processing and performance aspects associated with gas/solid reactions, precipitation and dissolltion behavior, oxidation and corrosion, purification of semiconductors, carburizing of steel, formation of p-n junctions and other important materials systems.

Survey of the electrical properties of materials, and the applications of materials as electrical circuit components. The effects of chemistry, processing and microstructure on the electrical properties. Functions, performance requirements and testing methods of materials for each type of circuit component. General topics covered are conductors, resistors, insulators, capacitors, energy converters, magnetic materials and integrated circuits.