The Prague Post - Nobel-winning lithium battery inventor John Goodenough dies at 100

EUR -
AED 4.278562
AFN 80.439798
ALL 97.636168
AMD 447.169487
ANG 2.084779
AOA 1068.191957
ARS 1483.72337
AUD 1.785183
AWG 2.096778
AZN 1.985098
BAM 1.956525
BBD 2.351071
BDT 141.362366
BGN 1.957431
BHD 0.439233
BIF 3470.285525
BMD 1.164877
BND 1.494654
BOB 8.045981
BRL 6.47299
BSD 1.164431
BTN 100.244134
BWP 15.633791
BYN 3.810712
BYR 22831.579684
BZD 2.338966
CAD 1.598275
CDF 3361.833794
CHF 0.932315
CLF 0.029216
CLP 1121.158148
CNY 8.368124
CNH 8.363761
COP 4672.995328
CRC 587.617676
CUC 1.164877
CUP 30.869228
CVE 110.305861
CZK 24.622929
DJF 207.146735
DKK 7.463411
DOP 70.326051
DZD 151.713943
EGP 57.558604
ERN 17.473148
ETB 161.791734
FJD 2.623071
FKP 0.868492
GBP 0.865556
GEL 3.157063
GGP 0.868492
GHS 12.139497
GIP 0.868492
GMD 83.293695
GNF 10103.74281
GTQ 8.940312
GYD 243.620246
HKD 9.142918
HNL 30.475289
HRK 7.538845
HTG 152.886635
HUF 399.039732
IDR 18994.476445
ILS 3.910747
IMP 0.868492
INR 100.342289
IQD 1525.365053
IRR 49055.85197
ISK 142.033977
JEP 0.868492
JMD 186.208979
JOD 0.825902
JPY 172.97481
KES 150.443546
KGS 101.868538
KHR 4666.768811
KMF 495.651804
KPW 1048.430728
KRW 1619.073489
KWD 0.355951
KYD 0.970359
KZT 620.749949
LAK 25111.302179
LBP 104333.048921
LKR 351.310139
LRD 233.46849
LSL 20.616737
LTL 3.439578
LVL 0.704622
LYD 6.333346
MAD 10.5293
MDL 19.807337
MGA 5181.91958
MKD 61.582813
MMK 2445.37205
MNT 4177.975193
MOP 9.413968
MRU 46.320159
MUR 53.232587
MVR 17.945955
MWK 2019.147969
MXN 21.807397
MYR 4.941991
MZN 74.504928
NAD 20.616737
NGN 1780.420371
NIO 42.855875
NOK 11.8297
NPR 160.390415
NZD 1.949144
OMR 0.447877
PAB 1.164431
PEN 4.144835
PGK 4.821786
PHP 66.445688
PKR 331.630048
PLN 4.250868
PYG 9012.338512
QAR 4.233768
RON 5.074432
RSD 117.157308
RUB 91.446375
RWF 1682.637758
SAR 4.36955
SBD 9.667132
SCR 17.104812
SDG 699.507822
SEK 11.25107
SGD 1.494723
SHP 0.91541
SLE 26.617048
SLL 24426.882668
SOS 665.446507
SRD 42.962995
STD 24110.591973
SVC 10.188774
SYP 15146.223511
SZL 20.612636
THB 37.706947
TJS 11.207652
TMT 4.088717
TND 3.423168
TOP 2.728255
TRY 47.03889
TTD 7.904928
TWD 34.183342
TZS 3035.420109
UAH 48.629314
UGX 4172.545669
USD 1.164877
UYU 46.927384
UZS 14739.460055
VES 136.249723
VND 30473.169619
VUV 139.450355
WST 3.067463
XAF 656.205717
XAG 0.030346
XAU 0.000347
XCD 3.148137
XDR 0.817485
XOF 656.200081
XPF 119.331742
YER 281.142633
ZAR 20.635735
ZMK 10485.294495
ZMW 26.810932
ZWL 375.089762
  • CMSC

    0.0900

    22.314

    +0.4%

  • CMSD

    0.0250

    22.285

    +0.11%

  • RBGPF

    0.0000

    69.04

    0%

  • SCS

    0.0400

    10.74

    +0.37%

  • RELX

    0.0300

    53

    +0.06%

  • RIO

    -0.1400

    59.33

    -0.24%

  • GSK

    0.1300

    41.45

    +0.31%

  • NGG

    0.2700

    71.48

    +0.38%

  • BP

    0.1750

    30.4

    +0.58%

  • BTI

    0.7150

    48.215

    +1.48%

  • BCC

    0.7900

    91.02

    +0.87%

  • JRI

    0.0200

    13.13

    +0.15%

  • VOD

    0.0100

    9.85

    +0.1%

  • BCE

    -0.0600

    22.445

    -0.27%

  • RYCEF

    0.1000

    12

    +0.83%

  • AZN

    -0.1200

    73.71

    -0.16%

Nobel-winning lithium battery inventor John Goodenough dies at 100
Nobel-winning lithium battery inventor John Goodenough dies at 100 / Photo: Jonas EKSTROMER - TT News Agency/AFP/File

Nobel-winning lithium battery inventor John Goodenough dies at 100

John Goodenough, who shared the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing the lithium-ion battery that revolutionized modern life, has died at the age of 100, the University of Texas announced.

Text size:

Goodenough died on Sunday, said the university, where he worked as an engineering professor.

The US scientist's contributions to the development of lithium-ion batteries paved the way for smartphones and a fossil fuel-free society.

"John's legacy as a brilliant scientist is immeasurable -- his discoveries improved the lives of billions of people around the world," Jay Hartzell, president of the University of Texas at Austin, said in the statement.

"He was a leader at the cutting edge of scientific research throughout the many decades of his career."

In 1986, at the age of 64, Goodenough joined the University of Texas where he served as a faculty member in the Cockrell School of Engineering for 37 years.

"The world has lost an incredible mind and generous spirit. He will be truly missed among the scientific and engineering community, but he leaves a lasting legacy that will inspire generations of future innovators and researchers," said Sharon Wood, provost of the University of Texas.

Goodenough became the oldest person to win a Nobel Prize when at the age of 97 he shared the 2019 chemistry award with Britain's Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino of Japan for the invention of the lithium-ion battery.

Seeking an alternative source of power during the oil crisis of the 1970s, Whittingham discovered a way to harness the potential energy in lithium, a metal so light it floats on water.

However, the battery he constructed was too unstable to be used.

Goodenough built on Whittingham's prototype, substituting a different metal compound and doubling the potential energy of the battery to four volts.

This paved the way for far more powerful and durable batteries in the future.

In 1985, Yoshino instead used a carbon-based material that stores lithium ions, finally rendering the battery commercially viable.

The culmination of the trio's research resulted in the most powerful, lightweight and rechargeable battery ever seen.

- 'A rechargeable world' -

"They created a rechargeable world," the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which awarded the accolade, said at the time.

"Lithium batteries have revolutionized our lives since they first entered the market in 1991," and were "of the greatest benefit to humankind".

Their work considerably boosted human mobility, and allowed millions in developing countries to access information and services online with just a mobile phone.

Lithium-ion batteries have also reduced the reliance on planet-warming fossil fuels, especially in electric cars.

On receiving news of his Nobel, Goodenough expressed pride in the worldwide impact of his work.

"I'm extremely happy that my discovery has been able to help communication through the world," he said.

"We need to build relationships, not wars. I am happy if people use this for good, not evil."

Born in 1922 in Germany, Goodenough grew up in the United States and earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Yale University.

After serving as a meteorologist in the US Army during World War II, Goodenough earned a master's degree and a PhD in physics at the University of Chicago in 1952, according to the University of Texas statement.

From 1952, he worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory for 24 years and laid the groundwork for the development of computer random-access memory (RAM).

Goodenough was head of the inorganic chemistry laboratory at Oxford University when he made his lithium-ion battery discovery.

In 1986, he joined the University of Texas where he was known for his "quick wit and infectious laugh."

He was still coming into work well into his 90s, the university said.

Goodenough and his wife Irene were married for 70 years, until her death in 2016.

R.Krejci--TPP