SYS864B - Special subjects II - Electrical engineering: Battery technology and energy conversion/storage

The objective of the course is to train students to:

1. gain a fundamental understanding of various batteries as energy conversion and storage systems;
2. acquire multidiscipline fundamental knowledge in electrochemistry, material science, and engineering, as well as practical skills in battery prototype fabrication and performance evaluation;
3. compare different types of batteries, comprehend their advantages and disadvantages, and assess their future perspective and their specific practical applications.

This course will introduce the working principles of various batteries and the fundamental knowledge, battery types (e.g., lithium-ion battery, lithium metal battery, all-solid-state battery, metal-air battery, metal-ion battery, flow battery, etc.), materials design/characterization, battery cell component fabrication, battery assembly, energy device performance evaluation, and battery recycling, etc. Importantly, depending on the battery types and their specific features, the students will understand various battery applications in different fields ranging from portable/wearable electronics, health/medical devices, and transportation like electric vehicles, to large capacity energy storage (with power capacity from kW to MW or even larger).

Additionally, this course will foster broad discussions on how to effectively employ battery technologies to benefit our society, economy, and environment for sustainable development.