The renowned American scientist John Goodenough, who shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2019 for his contribution to the development of the revolutionary lithium-ion battery, has died this Monday at the age of 100 in an assisted living in Austin, according to the University. from Texas. Goodenough was responsible for laying the technological foundations that enabled the creation of rechargeable devices such as mobile phones, computers, electric cars, and pacemakers. His legacy and his groundbreaking research have left an indelible mark on the world of modern technology.
"It can store significant amounts of solar and wind energy, making a fossil fuel-free society possible," the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences celebrated in a statement when it awarded the award for the development of the lithium-ion battery. Goodenough, shared this prestigious recognition with the British-American scientist M. Stanley Whittingham (State University of New York) and the Japanese Akira Yoshino (Japanese company Asahi Kasei).
John Goodenough, was a member of the University of Texas faculty for nearly four decades and became the oldest person (97 years old) to receive a Nobel Prize. And in 2021 he became the oldest living Nobel Prize winner, after the death of Edmond H. Fischer.
Lithium-ion batteries -also called Li-Ion batteries-, conceived from Goodenough's advances, marked a milestone in the history of technology by being the first truly portable and rechargeable batteries. Its development took more than a decade and required the joint work of several leading scientists. In the 1970s, Whittingham figured out how to harness the property of lithium to create a battery capable of generating power. Already in the 1980s, he improved battery capacity by using cobalt in the cathode. Eventually, Yoshino phased out volatile pure lithium and replaced it with safe lithium ions, enabling the first commercial batteries to be produced in 1991.
Despite his numerous achievements, John Goodenough -born in Jena (Germany) in 1922, but a naturalized American- was always a humble man; he demonstrated a relentless passion for his work, and through his hard work he was able to transform the landscape of the electronics and energy industry. On one occasion, he expressed his gratitude that he was not forced to retire at 65 and joked that he could still do anything. "He lives to be 97, you can do anything," Goodenough said when he was awarded the Nobel.
