Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to 3 scientists for development of lithium-ion batteries

The 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry on Wednesday, October 9, has been awarded to John B Goodenough, M Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino "for the development of lithium-ion batteries" that are today used in everyday items from mobile phones to remote controls and even electric vehicles.

With their invention, the three scientists created the right conditions for a wireless and fossil-fuel-free society. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and is one of the five Nobel Prizes that were established by the will of Alfred Nobel.

"This lightweight, rechargeable and powerful battery ... can also store significant amounts of energy from solar and wind power, making possible a fossil fuel-free society," the jury said.

The foundation of the lithium-ion batteries was laid by Stanley Whittingham in the 1970s, during the oil crisis. The Nobel Academy said in a statement, "The British Chemist started developing methods that could lead to fossil-fuel-free energy technologies."

Watch: The moment when the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry is announced

John B Goodenough of the University of Texas at Austin, M Stanley Whittingham of Binghamton University and Akira Yoshino of Meijo University will receive equal shares of the 9 million Swedish kronor (e74o,000) cash prize.

At the age of 96, Prof Goodenough is the oldest person ever to win the award.