A lithium-ion battery contains rechargeable cells which store energy by temporary reduction. Their anodes are typically graphite from carbon. While their cathodes are usually metal oxides. The electrolyte is by convention a dissolved lithium salt in an organic solvent. This design may be constantly evolving, but who invented the lithium-ion battery?
Was It NASA Who Invented the Lithium-Ion Battery?
NASA was tinkering with almost any energy storage idea in the mid 1960’s. They were caught up in a struggle to catch up with Russia in the space race. America’s reputation depended on getting the first people to the moon. This required better batteries! Their work included researching copper fluoride-lithium CuF2/Li technology.
The report we link to below was inconclusive. The NASA contractors could not find a workaround to the instability and flammability of the chemicals. Therefore, although they clearly built a number of prototypes, they could not claim they invented a lithium-ion battery that was commercially feasible.
Was Whittingham the Inventor of the Lithium-Ion Battery?
British chemist M Stanley Whittingham used titanium disulfide material as cathode in 1974, and claimed success. However, Exxon was unable to commercialize because of spontaneous fires. Moreover, the titanium disulphide reacted to water by releasing noxious gases. If we were to rephrase the question to ‘who invented workable lithium-ion batteries’ we have to say ‘nobody yet’.
So Who Does the First Prize Belong to Then?
Several inventors came to the fore in the 1980’s with practical suggestions. They included Ned A. Godshall and associates, and, shortly thereafter, Koichi Mizushima and John B. Goodenough.
Then working independently, Rachid Tazami successfully demonstrated reversible electrochemical intercalation of lithium in graphite. And followed through by inventing the lithium graphite anode electrode. Hence all the bits were finally in place, but nothing for consumers yet.
In the end it was Akira Yoshino who invented the lithium-ion battery, and patented a useful version Sony brought to market in 1991. The carbonate ester-based electrolyte was his own invention. However, the LCO cathode was the one Goodenough previously reported.
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