Chemistry Nobel for work on smartphone batteries

Stockholm: The 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to John B Goodenough, M Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino "for the development of lithium-ion batteries", the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced on Wednesday.

Lithium-ion batteries have revolutionised the world of technology. The batteries power everyday products such as smartphones, laptops and even electric vehicles. "Through their work, this year's Chemistry Laureates have laid the foundation of a wireless, fossil fuel-free society," the Nobel Foundation said while announcing this year's winners. John B Goodenough was born in Germany in 1922 and is currently at the University of Texas in the US.

M Stanley Whittingham was born in 1941 in the UK and currently teaches at the Binghamton University in the US. Akira Yoshino was born in 1948 in Japan and is currently a professor at the Meijo University in Japan.

The work of this year's Chemistry Nobel laureates led to the development of "a lightweight, hardwearing battery that could be charged hundreds of times before its performance deteriorated."

"The advantage of lithium-ion batteries is that they are not based upon chemical reactions that break down the electrodes, but upon lithium ions flowing back and forth between the anode and cathode," the Nobel Foundation said.

"Lithium-ion batteries have revolutionised our lives since they first entered the market in 1991. They have laid the foundation of a wireless, fossil fuel-free society, and are of the greatest benefit to humankind."