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Pioneers of the Lithium-Ion Battery Awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
An illustration of John Goodenough's early battery design. His work made a significant impact on the power of lithium batteries. (Image source: Johan Jarnestad/The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences)The 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has gone to the three men who made the world rechargeable.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced Wednesday that this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry has gone to John B. Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham, and Akira Yoshino for their work in the development of lithium-ion batteries.
“Lithium-ion batteries have revolutionized our lives since they first entered the market in 1991,” the Academy said in a press statement. “They have laid the foundation of a wireless, fossil fuel-free society, and are of the greatest benefit to humankind.”
You'd be hard pressed these days to find an electronic device that doesn't take advantage of lithium-ion. And while researchers are always looking to make new improvements on the batteries or find alternatives, that hasn't stopped lithium batteries from becoming ubiquitous in our mobile electronics and a key component to the resurgence of electric vehicles.
At 97 years old Goodenough himself is still working to further the technology he pioneered. In an interview with Design News last year he discussed how he is working on a new design for a solid-state lithium-ion battery. A solid-state version would eliminate issues with overheating and significantly improve charging times for lithium-ion batteries. Imagine, instead of having to charge for hours or overnight, being able to charge your electric car in the amount of time it takes you to pump a full tank of gas – that's the promise of Goodenough's continued work.
“People have tried to make a solid state battery, and they could only do it with very thin films and not much capacity,” Goodenough told Design News. “It’s a very tricky problem. But I believe it will be ready in five years.”
