EMT4210 ENERGY MATERIALS
QUESTIONS MODULE 2025
INSTRUCTIONS: Please attempt the questions that follow to improve your understanding of
this module
QUESTION 1
a) Explain the role of silicon in photovoltaic cells. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages
of using crystalline silicon (c-Si) compared to amorphous silicon (a-Si) in polar panels.
[10]
b) Describe the working principle of perovskite solar cells. What are the key challenges
associated with the commercialization of perovskite materials in solar energy generation?
[10]
c) Calculate the efficiency of a solar cell if the incident solar energy is 1000W/m 2, and the
cell generates 200W/m2 of electrical power. [5]
QUESTION 2
a) Discuss the importance of composite materials in the construction of wind turbine blades.
What are the key properties of carbon Fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) that make them
suitable for this application? [10]
b) Explain the role of rare-earth elements in the permanent magnets used in wind turbine
generators. What are the environmental and geopolitical concerns associated with the use
of rare-earth elements? [10]
c) A wind turbine is 60m long and rotates at a speed of 15rpm. Calculate the tip speed of the
blade in m/s. [5]
QUESTION 3
a) Compare the advantages and disadvantages of lithium-ion batteries and solid-state batteries
for renewable energy storage. Highlight the key material differences between the two
technologies. [10]
b) Discuss the role of graphene in supercapacitors. How does the use of graphene enhance the
energy density and power density of supercapacitors? [10]
c) A lithium-ion battery has a capacity of 5000mAh and operates at 3.7V. calculate the total
energy stored in the battery in watt-hours (Wh). [5]
QUESTION 4
a) Explain the working principle of thermoelectric materials. What is the seebeck effect and
how does it contribute to energy conversion in thermoelectric generators? [10]
b) Discuss the key material properties required for high-performance thermoelectric materials.
Why is bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) widely used in thermoelectric devices? [10]
c) A thermoelectric generator has a seebeck coefficient of 200𝜇𝑉 ⁄𝐾 and a temperature
difference of 150K. calculate the voltage generated by the device. [5]
QUESTION 5
a) Describe the role of proton exchange membranes (PEMs) in hydrogen fuel cells. What are
the advantages of using Nafion as a PEM material? [10]
b) Compare the materials used in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and polymer electrolyte
membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Highlight the key differences in their operating
temperatures and material requirements. [10]
c) A hydrogen fuel cell produces 1.23V under standard conditions. If the cell operates at 80%
efficiency, calculate the actual voltage output. [5]
QUESTION 6
a) Explain the mechanism of photocatalytic water splitting using semiconductor materials.
What role do band gap and band edge positions play in the efficiency of the process?
[10]
b) Discuss the advantages and limitations of using titanium dioxide (TiO2) as a photocatalytic
material. How can doping improve its photocatalytic performance? [10]
c) A photocatalytic material has a band gap of 3.2eV. Calculate the wavelength of light
required to excite electrons across the band gap. [5]
QUESTION 7
a) Explain the role of thermal insulation materials in improving energy efficiency in buildings.
Discuss the key properties that make a material suitable for thermal insulation. [10]
b) Compare the performance of fiberglass, polystyrene form, and aerogel as insulation
materials. Highlight their advantages and disadvantages in terms of thermal conductivity,
cost, and environmental impact. [10]
c) A wall has a thermal resistance (R-value) of 4.0m2.K/W. If the temperature difference
across the wall is 20℃, calculate the heat flux through the wall in W/m2. [5]
QUESTION 8
a) Describe the working principle of phase change materials (PCMs) in energy storage and
efficiency. How do PCMs contribute to reducing energy consumption in buildings?
[10]
b) Discuss the advantages and challenges of using organic PCMs (e.g. paraffin wax) compared
to inorganic PCMs (e.g. salt hydrates) for thermal energy storage. [10]
c) A PCM has a latent heat of fusion of 200kJ/kg. Calculate the amount of energy stored when
10kg of the PCM undergoes a phase change. [5]
QUESTION 9
a) Explain the concept of smart windows and how they improve energy efficiency in
buildings. Discuss the role electrochromic materials in smart window technology.
[10]
b) Compare low-emissivity (low-E) coatings and reflective coatings in terms of their energy-
saving mechanisms and applications. Which type of coating is more suitable for hot
climates and why? [10]
c) A low-E coating reduces heat transfer through a window by 50%. If the original heat
transfer rate is 500W/m2, calculate the new heat transfer rate after applying the coating.
[5]
QUESTION 10
a) Discuss the potential of solid-state batteries as the next generation energy storage
technology. What are the key advantages of solid-state batteries over conventional lithium-
ion batteries? [10]
b) Explain the role of silicon anodes in improving the energy density of lithium-ion batteries.
What are the challenges associated with using silicon anodes, and how can they be
addressed? [10]
c) A solid-state battery has an energy density of 500Wh/kg. If a device requires 1000Wh of
energy, calculate the mass of the battery required. [5]
QUESTION 11
a) Describe the role of materials in hydrogen production, storage, and utilization. What are
the key material requirements for efficient hydrogen electrolysis? [10]
b) Discuss the potential of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for hydrogen storage. What are
the advantages of MOFs compared to traditional hydrogen storage methods? [10]
c) A hydrogen storage system has a capacity of 5wt% (weight percent). Calculate the mass of
hydrogen stored in a 100kg tank. [5]
QUESTION 12
a) Explain the potential of tandem solar cells in achieving higher efficiencies compared to
single-junction solar cells. What are the key material combinations used in tandem solar
cells? [10]
b) Discuss the challenges and opportunities of using organic photovoltaics (OPVs) for solar
energy generation. How do OPVs compare to traditional silicon-based solar cells?
[10]
c) A tandem solar cell has an efficiency of 30%. If the incident solar energy is 100W/m2,
calculate the electrical power output per square metre. [5]
QUESTION 13
a) Explain the working principle of a lithium-ion battery. Your explanation should include:
i. The role of the anode, cathode, and electrolyte
ii. The electrochemical reactions occurring during charging and discharging.
[10]
b) Compare and contrast the following energy storage systems in terms of energy density,
power density, and applications.
i. Lithium-ion batteries
ii. Supercapacitors
iii. Solid-state batteries
[10]
c) Discuss one major challenge associated with the use of lithium-ion batteries and propose a
potential solution using advanced materials. [5]
QUESTION 14
a) Describe the advantages of using silicon as an anode material in lithium-ion batteries
compared to traditional graphite. What are the challenges associated with silicon anodes,
and how can they be mitigated? [10]
b) Explain the concept of pseudocapacitance in supercapacitors. Provide examples of
materials that exhibit pseudocapacitive behaviour and discuss their advantages over
traditional double-layer capacitors. [10]
c) Discuss the role of nanomaterials in improving the performance of energy storage devices.
Provide an example of a nanomaterial used in batteries or supercapacitors. [5]
QUESTION 15
a) Discuss the potential of solid-state batteries as the next-generation energy storage
technology. Highlight the key advantages and challenges of solid-state electrolytes over
liquid electrolytes. [10]
b) Explain the concept of redox flow batteries. How do they differ from conventional batteries,
and what are their advantages for grid-scale energy storage? [10]
c) Evaluate the environmental impact of energy storage technologies. Suggest one sustainable
material or approach to reduce this impact. [5]
QUESTION 16
a) A phosphor commonly used on television screens is ZnS doped with Cu+. This is much
more efficient at transferring energy to the impurity sites for emission than are the
phosphors based on phosphates as host. ZnS is a semiconductor. Explain the efficiency of
transfer in this solid. [10]
b) Explain why silicon is used for solar cells but not for LEDs. [10]
END OF MODULE