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Nobel chemistry prize: Lithium-ion battery scientists honoured | Nobel chemistry prize: Lithium-ion battery scientists honoured |
(32 minutes later) | |
Three scientists have been awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the development of lithium-ion batteries. | Three scientists have been awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the development of lithium-ion batteries. |
John B Goodenough, M Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino share the prize for their work on these rechargeable devices, which are used for portable electronics. | John B Goodenough, M Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino share the prize for their work on these rechargeable devices, which are used for portable electronics. |
At the age of 97, Prof Goodenough is the oldest ever Nobel laureate. | At the age of 97, Prof Goodenough is the oldest ever Nobel laureate. |
Professor of chemistry Olof Ramström said lithium-ion batteries had "enabled the mobile world". | Professor of chemistry Olof Ramström said lithium-ion batteries had "enabled the mobile world". |
The trio will share the prize money of nine million kronor (£738,000). | The trio will share the prize money of nine million kronor (£738,000). |
The lithium-ion battery is a lightweight, rechargeable and powerful battery that is used in everything from mobile phones to laptops to electric cars. | The lithium-ion battery is a lightweight, rechargeable and powerful battery that is used in everything from mobile phones to laptops to electric cars. |
The Nobel Committee said: "Lithium-ion batteries are used globally to power the portable electronics that we use to communicate, work, study, listen to music and search for knowledge." | The Nobel Committee said: "Lithium-ion batteries are used globally to power the portable electronics that we use to communicate, work, study, listen to music and search for knowledge." |
Committee member Sara Snogerup Linse, from Lund University, said: "We have gained access to a technical revolution. The laureates developed lightweight batteries of high enough potential to be useful in many applications." | |
In addition to their use in electric vehicles, the rechargeable devices could also store significant amounts of energy from renewable sources, such as solar and wind power. | In addition to their use in electric vehicles, the rechargeable devices could also store significant amounts of energy from renewable sources, such as solar and wind power. |
The foundation of the lithium-ion battery was laid during the oil crisis of the 1970s. M Stanley Whittingham, 77, who was born in Nottingham, UK, worked to develop energy technologies that did not rely on fossil fuels. | The foundation of the lithium-ion battery was laid during the oil crisis of the 1970s. M Stanley Whittingham, 77, who was born in Nottingham, UK, worked to develop energy technologies that did not rely on fossil fuels. |
He discovered an energy-rich material called titanium disulphide, which he used to make a cathode - the positive terminal - in a lithium battery. | He discovered an energy-rich material called titanium disulphide, which he used to make a cathode - the positive terminal - in a lithium battery. |
Whittingham, who is now based at Binghamton University in Vestal, US, made the anode, the battery's negative terminal, from metallic lithium. This has a strong preference for releasing electrons, making it very suitable for use in batteries. | Whittingham, who is now based at Binghamton University in Vestal, US, made the anode, the battery's negative terminal, from metallic lithium. This has a strong preference for releasing electrons, making it very suitable for use in batteries. |
This resulting device was able to release just over two volts, but the metallic lithium made it explosive. | This resulting device was able to release just over two volts, but the metallic lithium made it explosive. |
John B Goodenough, who is American but was born in Germany, predicted that the cathode could be improved if it was made from a metal oxide, rather than a sulphide. | John B Goodenough, who is American but was born in Germany, predicted that the cathode could be improved if it was made from a metal oxide, rather than a sulphide. |
In 1980, after searching for the ideal material, Goodenough, who is a professor at the University of Texas, Austin, used cobalt oxide to boost the lithium battery's potential to four volts. | In 1980, after searching for the ideal material, Goodenough, who is a professor at the University of Texas, Austin, used cobalt oxide to boost the lithium battery's potential to four volts. |
With Goodenough's cathode as a basis, Akira Yoshino, 71, created the first commercially viable lithium-ion battery in 1985. | With Goodenough's cathode as a basis, Akira Yoshino, 71, created the first commercially viable lithium-ion battery in 1985. |
Yoshino, who was born in Osaka, Japan, works for the Asahi Kasei Corporation and Meijo University. | Yoshino, who was born in Osaka, Japan, works for the Asahi Kasei Corporation and Meijo University. |
Prof Ramström, a Nobel committee member from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, in the US, commented: "This battery is such a very, very good battery. It's high-powered with high energy efficiency, so it has found applications almost everywhere." | Prof Ramström, a Nobel committee member from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, in the US, commented: "This battery is such a very, very good battery. It's high-powered with high energy efficiency, so it has found applications almost everywhere." |
Bonnie Charpentier, president of the American Chemical Society (ACS), commented: "In the face of increasing threats from extreme climate change, today's announcement shines a welcome bright light on the portability of energy that has enabled unprecedented advances in communication, transportation and other tools to support critical aspects of life around the world." | Bonnie Charpentier, president of the American Chemical Society (ACS), commented: "In the face of increasing threats from extreme climate change, today's announcement shines a welcome bright light on the portability of energy that has enabled unprecedented advances in communication, transportation and other tools to support critical aspects of life around the world." |
Follow Paul on Twitter. | Follow Paul on Twitter. |
Previous winners of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry | Previous winners of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry |
2018 - Discoveries about enzymes earned Frances Arnold, George P Smith and Gregory Winter the prize | 2018 - Discoveries about enzymes earned Frances Arnold, George P Smith and Gregory Winter the prize |
2017 - Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank and Richard Henderson were awarded the prize for improving images of biological molecules | 2017 - Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank and Richard Henderson were awarded the prize for improving images of biological molecules |
2016 - Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Fraser Stoddart and Bernard Feringa shared the prize for the making machines on a molecular scale. | 2016 - Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Fraser Stoddart and Bernard Feringa shared the prize for the making machines on a molecular scale. |
2015 - Discoveries in DNA repair earned Tomas Lindahl and Paul Modrich and Aziz Sancar the award. | 2015 - Discoveries in DNA repair earned Tomas Lindahl and Paul Modrich and Aziz Sancar the award. |
2014 - Eric Betzig, Stefan Hell and William Moerner were awarded the prize for improving the resolution of optical microscopes. | 2014 - Eric Betzig, Stefan Hell and William Moerner were awarded the prize for improving the resolution of optical microscopes. |
2013 - Michael Levitt, Martin Karplus and Arieh Warshel shared the prize, for devising computer simulations of chemical processes. | 2013 - Michael Levitt, Martin Karplus and Arieh Warshel shared the prize, for devising computer simulations of chemical processes. |
2012 - Work that revealed how protein receptors pass signals between living cells and the environment won the prize for Robert Lefkowitz and Brian Kobilka. | 2012 - Work that revealed how protein receptors pass signals between living cells and the environment won the prize for Robert Lefkowitz and Brian Kobilka. |