John B. Goodenough, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, known worldwide for developing the lithium-ion battery, died Sunday at the age of 100. Goodenough was a dedicated civil servant, a sought-after mentor, and a brilliant but humble inventor.
His discovery started the wireless revolution and put electronic devices in the hands of people all over the world. In 2019, Goodenough made national and international headlines after receiving an awardNobel Prize in Chemistryfor his work on drums, an award that many of his fans found time-consuming, especially since he became the oldest person to receive a Nobel Prize.
"John's legacy as a brilliant scientist is immeasurable - his discoveries have improved the lives of billions of people around the world," said UT Austin President Jay Hartzell. “For many decades of his career, he has been at the forefront of scientific research and has never stopped looking for innovative energy storage solutions. John's work and dedication to our mission is the ultimate reflection of our aspirations as Longhorns - what starts here changes the world - and he will be greatly missed in our UT community."
Goodenough was a faculty member at the Cockrell School of Engineering for 37 years, holding the Virginia H. Cockrell Centennial Engineering Chair and faculty positions in the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering with the Chandra family. Throughout his tenure, his research continued to focus on battery materials and tackle basic semiconductor science and engineering issues to create a new generation of batteries.
“John was not only a great researcher, but also a beloved and respected teacher. He was proud to mentor the many graduate students and faculty who benefited from his wisdom and encouragement,” said Dean Sharon L. Wood. “The world has lost a great spirit and a magnanimous spirit. He will be greatly missed in the science and engineering community, but he has left a lasting legacy that will inspire generations of future innovators and researchers. I am honored to have known and worked with John."
Goodenough has identified and developed critical cathode materials that provide the high energy density needed to power electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptops and tablets, as well as electric and hybrid vehicles. In 1979, he and his research team discovered that by using lithium cobalt oxide as the cathode of a lithium-ion battery, it would be possible to achieve a high density of stored energy with an anode other than metallic lithium. This discovery led to the development of carbon-based materials that enable the use of stable and easy-to-handle negative electrodes in lithium-ion batteries.
"John was just a wonderful person - a great researcher, teacher, mentor and innovator," said Roger Bonnecaze, Dean of Cockrell School. “His joy and care in everything he did, and that amazing smile, were contagious and inspiring. What an impressive life he led!”
Born in Germany in 1922, Goodenough grew up in the Northeastern United States and attended the Groton School in Massachusetts. In 1944, he received a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Yale University. After serving as a meteorologist in the United States Army, Goodenough returned in 1952 to complete his master's and doctorate in physics at the University of Chicago. At the University of Chicago, he studied with Nobel laureates Enrico Fermi and John A. Simpson, who worked on the Manhattan Project. Its promoter was the famous physicist Clarence Zener.
Goodenough began his career at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory in 1952, where he spent 24 years laying the foundations for the development of RAM (Random Access Memory) for digital computers. He emerged as a pioneer of orbital physics and one of the founders of the modern theory of magnetism, which became known as the Goodenough-Kanamori principles. These principles are practical guidelines in the study of magnetic materials and have a huge impact on the development of devices in telecommunications.
After MIT, Goodenough became a professor and head of the Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory at the University of Oxford. During this time, he made the discovery of lithium-ion.
He came to UT Austin in 1986 to develop the next battery innovation and train more battery innovators. In 1991 Sony Corp. introduced a lithium-ion battery, for which Goodenough was the basis of the prototype. In 1996, a safer and more environmentally friendly cathode material was discovered in their research group, and in 2020, a Canadian hydropower company obtained patents for this latest battery.
"John's seven decades of dedication to science and technology has radically changed our way of life, and it has been a true privilege to work with him for so many years," said Ram Manthiram, a professor at the Cockrell School and longtime friend and collaborator of Goodenough's who joined him at UT in the 1980s. Manthiram, himself a percussion pioneer, gave the Nobel Lecture in Stockholm on behalf of Goodenough. “John was one of the greatest minds of our time and he is an inspiration. He was a good listener with love and respect for everyone. I will always cherish our time together and we will continue to build on the foundation that John laid."
In 2022, to celebrate his 100th birthdayºOn the anniversary, scientists and engineers from the global battery and solids communities gathered on the UT Austin campus for a symposium to share stories of the Goodenough impact and explore challenging problems in condensed matter physics and chemistry and next-generation research. about batteries.
Goodenough's quick wit and contagious laugh were defining traits that contributed to the level of fame he achieved. This laugh could be heard in the UT engineering buildings - you knew when Goodenough was on your floor and you couldn't help but smile at the thought of bumping into him.
He still started working well into his nineties. There was no reason why he shouldn't. "Don't retire too early!" Goodenough told the Nobel Foundation and others. It was advice he often gave, and he certainly followed.
Goodenough, who never had children, was passionate about donations to the university. He regularly donated prize money from his awards at UT, which he used to support engineering students and scientists. In 2006, he established the John B. and Irene W. Goodenough Endowed Research Fund in Engineering, and in 2016, in honor of his wife Irene, established the Irene W. Goodenough Presidential Fellowship in Nursing. In addition, St. Catherine's College at the University of Oxford established the Goodenough Fellowship in Chemistry in her honour.
Among his many awards, including the Nobel Prize - which he jointly awarded with Stanley Whittingham of the State University of New York at Binghamton and Akira Yoshino of Meijo University - Goodenough has been awarded the National Medal of Science, the Japan Prize, the Draper, Benjamin Franklin Medal, Enrico Fermi Award, Robert A. Welch Award, Copley Medal and many others. He is the author of several books, including an autobiography titled "The Witness of Grace" published in 2008.
Goodenough and his wife were married for over 70 years until her death in 2016. His brother Ward, who was an anthropologist and professor at the University of Pennsylvania, died in 2013.
John Goodenough photos for the media:utexas.box.com/s/fu6lpwq1b2ce8a8ps2of2ps2436sms2y. Unless otherwise noted in the filename, images must be attributed to the University of Texas at Austin.
FAQs
UT Mourns Lithium Ion Battery Inventor and Nobel Laureate John Goodenough - UT News? ›
UT Austin mourns loss of lithium-ion battery inventor and Nobel Prize Recipient John Goodenough. AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin is mourning the loss of Professor John. B Goodenough is known globally for the development of the lithium-ion battery. He died on Sunday at 100 years old.
Who is the inventor of lithium-ion battery? ›John Goodenough, the 2019 Chemistry Nobel Laureate who pioneered the development of lithium-ion batteries, passed away last week at 100 years of age. Therefore, this week, we discuss the science behind lithium-ion batteries, and how Goodenough and other scientists developed it.
Who is the Nobel laureate of lithium-ion battery? ›Akira Yoshino developed the first commercially viable lithium-ion battery. He used Goodenough's lithium-cobalt oxide in the cathode and in the anode he used a carbon material, petroleum coke, which can also intercalate lithium ions.
What did John B Goodenough win the Nobel Prize for? ›John B. Goodenough, who co-won the 2019 Nobel Prize in chemistry, has died at 100, the University of Texas at Austin announced. John B. Goodenough, the Nobel Prize-winning engineer whose contributions to developing lithium-ion batteries revolutionized portable technology, has died.
When did John B Goodenough invent the lithium-ion battery? ›In 1980 John Goodenough developed a lithium battery with a cathode of cobalt oxide, which, at a molecular level, has spaces that can house lithium ions.
Who holds the patent on lithium batteries? ›Dr. Yoshino invented and patented the world's first lithium-ion battery and has since worked continuously to improve the technology.
Who is the largest lithium-ion battery factory? ›Amara Raja Batteries Limited (ARBL) had earlier said it will be investing over Rs 9,500 crore, over a period of 10 years to spur development of a comprehensive EV and ACC (Advanced Cell Chemistry) ecosystem in Telangana, thus creating a large-scale manufacturing hub, creating many direct and indirect jobs.
Who is the world leader in lithium? ›Chile holds the world's largest lithium reserves and is the world's second-largest producer. Lithium is currently produced from hard rock or brine mines. Australia is the world's biggest supplier, with production from hard rock mines. Argentina, Chile and China mainly produce it from salt lakes.
Who is the founder of lithium battery recycling Tesla? ›Redwood Materials was founded in 2017 by Jeffrey "JB" Straubel, Tesla's former chief technology officer. It now has more than 300 employees who recycle used batteries and has supply contracts with Ford and with Panasonic, which makes batteries for Tesla.
Who has the most lithium in the world? ›Australia is the world's largest lithium producer, accounting for nearly half of global production in 2021. Bolivia, Chile and Argentina (the “lithium triangle”) have the largest estimated resources, with nearly 50 million tonnes of lithium between the three countries.
What is John B Goodenough doing now? ›
John B. Goodenough, the scientist who shared the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his crucial role in developing the revolutionary lithium-ion battery, the rechargeable power pack that is ubiquitous in today's wireless electronic devices and electric and hybrid vehicles, died on Sunday at an assisted living facility ...
What is John B Goodenough known for? ›Recent News. John B. Goodenough, in full John Bannister Goodenough, (born July 25, 1922, Jena, Germany—died June 25, 2023, Austin, Texas, U.S.), American physicist who won the 2019 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for his work on developing lithium-ion batteries. He shared the prize with British-born American chemist M.
What is John Goodenough famous for? ›Goodenough Award in materials science is named for him. In 2019, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry alongside M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino, and, at 97 years old, became the oldest Nobel laureate in history. From August 27, 2021, until his death, he was the oldest living Nobel Prize laureate.
What country invented lithium batteries? ›In 1976, the first viable Lithium-based battery was patented by British chemist Michael Stanley Whittingham. Whittingham's breakthrough was the battery's low weight, high energy density and its capability to work at room temperature.
What are the disadvantages of lithium-ion batteries? ›Despite its overall advantages, lithium-ion has its drawbacks. It is fragile and requires a protection circuit to maintain safe operation. Built into each pack, the protection circuit limits the peak voltage of each cell during charge and prevents the cell voltage from dropping too low on discharge.
What is lithium found in? ›Lithium does not occur as the metal in nature, but is found combined in small amounts in nearly all igneous rocks and in the waters of many mineral springs. Spodumene, petalite, lepidolite, and amblygonite are the more important minerals containing lithium.
What company owns the largest lithium discovery in America? ›The mine is a project of Lithium Nevada, LLC - a wholly owned subsidiary of Lithium Americas Corp, whose largest shareholder is the world's largest lithium mining company, Chinese Ganfeng Lithium.
Who does Tesla buy their lithium from? ›Tesla will continue to rely on existing suppliers like Albemarle and Livent as it aims to reach its 2023 sales goal of around 1.8 million cars globally. Lithium is the key critical material in lithium-ion batteries that power the electric vehicle revolution.
What lithium company did Tesla deal with? ›We are pleased to be able to partner with Tesla to supply lithium resources produced in North America. The electric vehicle and critical battery materials landscape has changed significantly since 2020 and this agreement reflects the importance of – and growing demand for – a North American lithium supply chain.
Who are the top 5 lithium producers? ›- Albemarle (NYSE:ALB) Company Profile. ...
- SQM (NYSE:SQM) Company Profile. ...
- Ganfeng Lithium (OTC Pink:GNENF,SZSE:002460,HKEX:1772) ...
- Tianqi Lithium (OTC Pink:TQLCF,SZSE:002466,HKEX:9696) ...
- Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS,OTC Pink:PILBF) ...
- Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN,OTC Pink:MALRF) ...
- Allkem (ASX:AKE)
Who produces the best lithium ion company? ›
CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited) has become the largest lithium-ion battery manufacturer in 2022, overtaking its main competitor LG Energy Solution.
What is the biggest battery factory in the world? ›The production capacity of Rondo Heat Battery storage at Siam Cement Group's factory is going to be ramped up from 2.4 GWh to 90 GWh per year – that's larger than any existing or planned battery manufacturing factory worldwide.
What is the best lithium stock to invest in? ›| Company Name | Symbol | YTD Return |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla Inc. | TSLA | 91.97% |
| Sigma Lithium Corp. | SGML | 56.92% |
| EnerSys | ENS | 36.58% |
| Livent Corp. | LTHM | 23.60% |
However, the US is home to what are believed to be the world's largest lithium deposits after those in the so-called Lithium Triangle region in South America. The states of Nevada, North Carolina, and California together host an estimated 4% of the world's lithium reserves.
Who is the biggest buyer of lithium? ›China's the largest consumer of lithium because of its booming electronics and electric vehicle industries.
Who is building batteries for Tesla? ›What company makes Tesla's batteries? Tesla is currently working with Japanese company Panasonic, its longtime partner, as well as South Korea's LG Energy Solutions, the second largest battery supplier in the world. They supply the EV maker with cells containing nickel and cobalt.
Who is the former Tesla employee in battery breakthrough? ›As Tesla's former chief technology officer, JB Straubel has been a major player in bringing electric vehicles to the world. He's often credited with inventing key pieces of Tesla's battery technology and establishing the company's charging network.
What battery company did Tesla buy? ›Tesla has signed a deal with Magnis Energy Technologies, an interesting new battery technology company based in Australia.
What country is richest in lithium? ›Bolivia. Bolivia has the highest identified lithium resources in the world with 20 million tonnes, as per the US Geological Survey data.
Is lithium mining worse than oil drilling? ›If You Evaluate the Environmental Impact of Lithium Mining vs Oil, Is Lithium Mining Worse Than Oil Drilling? Lithium mining does have an environmental impact, but it is no worse than oil drilling.
Which country has the largest lithium reserve? ›
- May 11, 2023, 02:05 PM IST. 6 Countries With Largest Lithium Deposits. ...
- Bolivia. Bolivia has an estimated 21 million tonnes of lithium and is one of the third countries of the 'lithium triangle' in South America.
- Argentina. ...
- Chile. ...
- United States. ...
- Australia. ...
- China.
Braga, associate professor at the University of Porto, proposed the Quantum Glass battery. To store and generate energy, this battery employs Quantum Mechanical properties.
Who is the oldest person ever to have been awarded a Nobel Prize? ›Arthur Ashkin in 1947.
Did John B Goodenough invent RAM? ›Goodenough began his career at MIT, where he laid the groundwork for the development of random-access memory (RAM) for the digital computer. Sony commercialized the battery with his materials in 1991.
Who invented the small battery? ›It was discovered by another Italian named Alessandro Volta, whom the battery was named after, in 1800.
Does solid state battery need lithium? ›A solid-state battery is essentially battery technology that uses a solid electrolyte instead of liquid electrolytes which are instead behind lithium-ion technology.
Who invented aluminum battery? ›Trevor Jackson, an engineering officer in the UK's Royal Navy, started experimenting with the battery in 2001, making it safe to use. Al-air batteries are made of an aluminum alloy plate as the anode, an air cathode, a non-toxic electrolyte like water, and a silver catalyst.
Who invented the Aluminium battery? ›The person behind all this is UK engineer and former Royal Navy officer Trevor Jackson, who began experimenting with aluminum air batteries at his workshop in the Cornish town of Callington in 2001. At that time, the electrolyte used was extremely caustic and poisonous.
Who invented solid state battery? ›Background. The earliest thin film solid state batteries is found by Keiichi Kanehori in 1986, which is based on the Li electrolyte. However, at that time, the technology was insufficient to power larger electronic devices so it was not fully developed. During recent years, there has been much research in the field.
Why are lithium batteries banned? ›Lithium batteries can produce dangerous heat levels, cause ignition, short circuit very easily, and cause inextinguishable fires. That's why renowned aviation authorities, including those in the USA, have banned lithium batteries when traveling.
What are the 3 types of lithium batteries? ›
There are three types of cells that are used in lithium batteries: cylindrical, prismatic, and pouch cells.
Which country produces the raw material for lithium batteries? ›As a result, China controls 41 percent of the world's cobalt mining, and the most mining for lithium, which carries a battery's electric charge. Global supplies of nickel, manganese and graphite are much larger and batteries use only a fraction. But China's steady supply of these minerals still gives it an advantage.
What is the life expectancy of a lithium-ion battery? ›According to Battery University, the everyday lithium ion battery should last between 300 and 500 charge/discharge cycles. If you charge a cellphone once a day, for example, the battery would last for more than a year in ideal conditions.
What is the biggest problem with lithium batteries? ›The problem with lithium batteries
All lithium-ion batteries use flammable materials, and incidents such as the one in the Bronx are likely the result of “thermal runaway,” a chain reaction which can lead to a fire or catastrophic explosion, according to Khoo.
Lithium-ion battery mining and production were determined to be worse for the climate than the production of fossil fuel vehicle batteries in an article from The Wall Street Journal. Cumulative energy demand (CED) measures how much energy is expended in the production of car batteries.
Did Sony invent lithium-ion battery? ›1991: Sony and Asahi Kasei released the first commercial lithium-ion battery. The Japanese team that successfully commercialized the technology was led by Yoshio Nishi.
Who is the largest owner of lithium? ›Australia and Chile stand out as the top producers of lithium, accounting for almost 77% of the global production in 2022. Australia, the world's leading producer, extracts lithium directly from hard rock mines, specifically the mineral spodumene.