6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL
Postgraduate - Unit
Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.
Faculty
Organisational Unit
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Coordinator(s)
Associate Professor Christopher McNeill
Unit guides
Synopsis
Materials and principles for energy production, storage and conversion will be covered in detail. Topics include Light harvesting materials, Solar power conversion efficiency, Interaction of light with matter, Commercial and emerging photovoltaic technologies, Concentrator PV, Electrochemical methods, Primary and secondary batteries, Supercapacitors, Photocatalysis, Water splitting and Fuels Cells.
Outcomes
At the successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Appreciate why the energy landscape is changing and the role materials will play in alternate energy technologies in the broad areas of energy production, storage and conversion.
- Apply the theory behind the operation of photovoltaic devices to predict and quantify the performance of solar cell materials.
- Appraise various energy storage technologies including batteries, capacitors, and hydrogen storage, and discuss the benefits and shortcomings of each.
- Assess novel electrochemical technologies including photo-(electro-catalysis), water splitting and fuel cells.
- Design experiments to assess the performance of energy storage and conversion devices.
Assessment
Internal continuous assessment: 40%
Final examination (2 hours): 60%
Workload requirements
3 hours of lectures/tutorials, 1 hour of laboratory work and 9 hours of private study per week.
See also Unit timetable information
Chief examiner(s)
Prerequisites
None
Co-requisites
None
Prohibitions
MTE4599