Established in late 2021, the Electrochemistry Laboratory is the newest addition to the Department of Chemistry, dedicated to advancing electrochemical research. Primarily, the laboratory has been designed and equipped with instruments to conduct research on material corrosion and its prevention. However, the facilities will also be used for research on batteries and fuel cells, electrode fabrication for sensors and actuators, electrodeposition, electroplating, and more.
As Bangladesh positions itself for an industrial revolution, with extensive land allocations for diverse industries aimed at achieving Vision 2041, corrosion emerges as a significant challenge to metals. It not only shortens the lifespan of metallic structures but also inflicts considerable economic losses. The global economic toll of corrosion is estimated at approximately $2.5 trillion, constituting 3.4% of the global GDP. Regrettably, Bangladesh has seen limited exploration of materials corrosion and prevention. Hence, the Electrochemistry Laboratory stands poised to lead in providing solutions to corrosion challenges prevalent across various sectors in the country. Furthermore, it can evolve into a hub for developing innovative energy storage devices, meeting the escalating demand for green energy production and
storage.
Recent projects undertaken in the Electrochemistry Laboratory include:
| Sl. No. | Project description | Status |
| 1. | Inhibition of top-of-the-line corrosion using volatile corrosion inhibitors (Higher research grant, DRE, RUET) |
Completed |
| 2. | Inhibition of carbon steel corrosion in HCl using green corrosion inhibitors (M.Sc. research project). |
Completed |
| 3. | Fabrication of electrode for bipolar lead acid battery application (Higher research grant, DRE, RUET) |
Completed |
| 4. | Inhibition of CO2 Corrosion of Carbon Steel Using Azole-Based Inhibitors (Higher research grant, DRE, RUET) |
Completed |
| 5. | Prevention of Carbon Steel Corrosion using Azole-Based inhibitor in CO2 Saturated Environment | Ongoing |
Table 1: List of instruments available in Electrochemistry Laboratory
| Sl. No. | Instrument | Details |
| 1. | Potentiostat/Ganvanostat (with EIS facilities) | |
| 2. | Hot Plate with Magnetic Stirrer | |
| 3. | High Precision Electronic Balance | |
| 4. | Optical Microscope for surface imaging and analysis | |
| 5. | Ultrasonicating bath | |
| 6. | Water distillation plant | |
| 7. | Circulating water bath | |
| 8. | Shaking water bath | |
| 9. | Metallography Polishing and Grinding Machine | |
| 10. | pH meter | |
| 11. | Oven | |
| 12. | Multiport corrosion cell | |
| 13. | Top of the line corrosion cell | |
| 14. | Viscometer |